Faded Photograph
by LilyGinnyBlack
Summary: That was how they died. Both grasping tightly to a past they could no longer hold, both ignoring the betrayal and pain, both remembering the other. As their eyes last glimpse of life consisted of flashing green. AlbusXGellert SPOILERS for DEATHLY HALLOWS
1. Prologue

_**Faded Photograph**_

_**By:**__ LilyGinnyBlack_

_**Disclaimer: Nothing belongs to me, not the characters, not the plot, not the setting, and etc. They all belong to J.K. Rowling!**_

_**WARNING: Just to be on the safe side, this fanfic has spoilers for Deathly Hallows, also, it contains slash, shonen-ai, or homosexual relations between males. If you don't wish to be spoiled or if the content offends/bothers you, please do NOT continue reading this story. Thank you. : )**_

_A/N: Hello everyone! This is my first HP slash writing, though I have written slash/shonen-ai before. Anyway, I wanted to write Dumbledore/Grindelwald for a while now, but I'm rather pressed for time and didn't have much motivation, but then, the revelation of Dumbledore this pass weekend fueled my motivation into overdrive. My ideas for this couple had to be written. Thus, I present to you my fanfic, I hope you enjoy it:_

_**Prologue**_

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Silent whispers, the guards outside his cell spoke of a person, a You-Know-Who. People shrouded in daily darkness spoke in voices that shook, as a cold terror swept through the tower. The winds carried the message of an individual's arrival, as wizened hands clenched a decrypted photo. Alone, as the only prison of Nurmengard, victim of a desolate land and sorrowful sky, Gellert Grindelwald sensed the evil aura advancing upon him. His soul weary, but his fingers digging into the photo ever tighter, his life would end. His death would be swift and forthcoming, a pleasant escape from his own self made hell.

A death brought upon wings, one could say, was how he died. His death started with the reverberating sound of footsteps on stone, continuously climbing upward, and ended with the whisper of Avada Kedavra. In between, a being that one could say was a man, though mostly resembled a snake-like beast, slipped through the solid wooden door; black cloak swooping around the beings morbidly pale skin. A simple question and a denying answer made up the conversation between the two individuals. The beast's voice oozing with anger and impatience; his coated in redemption and patience.

Nevertheless; Gellert Grindelwald's death was quick, and the snake-like being disappeared in a fit of frustration. Grindelwald's body motionless on the ground; once brilliant curls of gold now turned to dust sprawled across the gray floor, as his hand clenched the beloved object…

That photograph.

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"Please…" The word had fallen from his lips, softly spoken and tinted with a desire. The desire of death, how he longed for it; he knew that his time was up. One hundred and fifty years had passed by him; he was seen as worthy as Merlin, yet he was tired. And, the ring upon his finger long ago set his date of death. Everything had been situated in his plan, all the pieces placed in the right spots, and he could feel the twinkle in his eyes disappearing.

Albus Dumbledore pleaded with tortured black eyes; eyes that respected him far too much and only wished for the man to live longer. Black eyes only seeing someone grand, only seeing a saint; blind to knowledge of shared pains in love, blind to the sins in Dumbledore's heart. Thus, with a wand pointed at him, poised to strike like a rose's thorn, Dumbledore's fragile fingers curled around his sole piece of constancy. A faded memory from years past; a faded love…he held it until it crumpled…a faded photograph.

That photograph.

---

That was how they died. Both grasping possessively to a past they could no longer hold, both ignoring the betrayal and pain, both remembering the other. As their eyes last glimpse of life consisted of flashing green.

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_A/N: That's the end to the prologue. Please tell me what you thought of it in a review and I'll try to get the next chapter out as soon as possible, since my mind is exploding with ideas for these two. Anyway, thank you for reading and please take care. _

-LilyGinnyBlack-


	2. Chapter One

_A/N: Thank you to everyone that has reviewed thus far. I'm overjoyed to see that everyone likes this story. So, here's the next chapter. This one and the next will still be developing chapters, with the actual plot coming into play in chapter three. After all, a little background on the characters needs to be set up first. Anyway, onto the chapter:_

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**Chapter One:**

Laughter echoed distantly in his ears, as Albus gave near full attention to his books, to him knowledge was all that mattered. His physical appearance was of a nine-year old boy, but his mind was beyond such a limiting age. To him, playing was juvenile, you couldn't gain recognition from it nor could you brag about it.

It was useless.

Though, Ariana and Aberforth seemed to share no such ideals. They laughed and they talked their voices never-ending, as if when they spoke time sped up. Meaningless babble and false words, no one could ever love another human being; that was how Albus thought. His brain unable to comprehend the self-sacrifice and humiliation needed to love another.

He had his books.

They were easy to love, Albus believed this, once you read a book you owned it; acknowledged every inch of it. It belonged to the owner and the owner never has to give it away. With books comes intelligence and pride, the spot for humiliation always absent.

He could only love his books, never a human.

The fairly new tome snapped shut; the worthless sound of his siblings' laughs caused him irritation. How could anyone possibly concentrate?

Laughter was annoying.

---

Solitude, to Gellert, it was a bittersweet contradiction. When one is solitary the silence and concentration is never broken, but the loneliness and pain pass unnoticed. Attention only being brought on by a grandiose amount of knowledge. Thus, this was how Gellert spent his time, in an empty house among nothing but books.

But the longing for companionship was superior to any love he may have held for his volumes. They held words, they told tales, and they reiterated facts; yet they lacked touch and sound, no senses to speak of. They were silent, just like his home, voided of all life.

This seven-year old boy longed for someone to play with him.

But, all the children his age were either too intimidated, or they were brain-dead. At least, that was what his parents called them, muggles, they always spoke to him about those children. How imperfect they were, how easy their minds bended to others wills. Gellert never questioned his parents.

What they declared to be the truth was the truth.

Yet, Gellert sometimes sensed the need to defy these truths, if only it would give him someone to play with-someone he could love. Books, as it would be seen, held no such emotion.

One could only love a human being.

His musings were smashed by obnoxious laughter, the children, whether muggle or otherwise, were playing games outside. The noise was infectious, how he wished to shout out and laugh, but Gellert was positive of one thing-he was unable to even chuckle. So, he allowed the other children to provide for him the soothing nature of a giggle or the odd combination of a snort.

Laughter was comfortable.

---

And that was how they were, at nine and seven; one surviving off ink and parchment, the other starving for mind and body.

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_A/N: Thus, the second chapter ends. Please tell me what you think of it in a review, and please take care!_

-LilyGinnyBlack- : )


	3. Chapter Two

_A/N: I just want to say thanks to everyone who has reviewed thus far and I hope you all like the chapter!_

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**Chapter Two:**

Birthdays were never considered all that special, not to Albus anyway, they were just another day when he received a gift. But, on his tenth birthday, Albus was given two gifts, both from Ariana, one was to be dematerialized and lost over the years, the other hindered his soul. Though, that wound wouldn't be felt by him until his prime was long since passed. These were the gifts that Ariana gave him, on his tenth birthday.

---

"Albus, Albus look!" His sister's voice echoed about the room, which was painted a deep red. Ariana's voice putting an end to his book indulging, placing reality back under his feet, for once he had settled to read a fictional book, for once he wanted to escape.

Instead, he was forced to answer his sister's calls, "I'm in here, Ariana." His tone even and his pitch smooth. There was no need to shout, but Ariana loved the sound of her own voice, a trait she picked up from Aberforth no less. Yet, after the words fell from his mouth, the pitter-patter of rushing feet met his ears, and there was Ariana. Long, curly blond hair swept across her face as shinning blue eyes (quickly noted, Albus realized they were the same as his own, not nearly as dull as Aberforth's) and a grin consuming her face.

He always wondered how her face could split so far apart and yet she could still talk, how her eyes could get so scrunched up and yet she could still see. He pondered the concept of a grin as if it were the greatest of mysteries.

But, not today, no, he found himself engulfed in a hug instead. Her small, thin arms curling around his body even though he sat upon a chair, her arms found a way in between the gap of his body and the back of the chair. Her hugs always seemed to snake around him, and tempt him to hug her.

He never did.

Thus, Ariana pulled away from the one-sided embrace, her porcelain hands diving into the large pocket on her dress, as she delicately pulled out a pair of poorly made socks. They were woolen. One sock was quite a bit bigger than the other, and they flopped one way or another, neither one all that brilliant a sight. Albus took them, though, just like he always did.

Ariana's gifts were the only ones he would take.

After all, he saw potential in Ariana. She held passion and vigor in both her hands. Her eyes were always thirsty and her mouth was always open-ready to quench the said thirst. Her gifts to him were no different. She had put her time and effort into this gift, as lopsided and demented as they were, yet she was merely seven years of age and had not asked for their mother's help, he was sure.

Ariana never asked for help, she desired independence, just like he did. It was Aberforth who always clung to their mother, who always depended on someone, Albus couldn't stand how weak his brother was. Couldn't stand how Aberforth seemed to depend on Ariana just as much, and how she let him.

"Bye-bye, Albus!" the young girl's shout brought Albus back to the present, reminded him that Ariana had given him his present. Ariana's hair swept around the doorway as she fled from her eldest brother, she merely becoming annoying laughter once again, as she strode back to Aberforth.

His birthday's were the only days when she would talk to him, Albus was fine with this, for it was only on his birthday's that he acknowledged her-by accepting her gifts. After all, she only made gifts for him, to Albus that wasn't love-since it was something he could brag about.

For, never would he brag about Ariana's eyes being the same as his nor would he brag about her independence, but he could surely brag about the gifts she made him; even if they were no better than rags.

---

Night draped over the Dumbledore household, the night was silent, perfect for a moment of meditation; something Albus found to be truly relaxing. Meditation could only properly be done at nighttime, when the sky put a veil over the world, and when children were sound asleep. Albus found comfort in the night. Until, a whimper broke through that nearly solid silence, a young girl crying.

Curiosity prompted him to investigate, for, he would normally ignore such a thing, but he could sense something off. Something wasn't right with this situation, something wasn't right at all. Feet softly thumping on the wooden floors, Albus groped for the lantern, his fingers swiftly working to provide him with a source of light. By the time it was lit and he was walking down the stairs, he could hear the girl's screams and cries.

For the first time in his life, Albus found himself slightly disturb. Thus, he forced his feet to quicken in pace, and when he opened the door, there Ariana was. Her hair a brilliant white against the black night, as her porcelain skin was cracked and gushing blood. Her whole body shook.

Albus could only stare.

The men beginning to flee into the dark, as he faintly recognized the noise of his father, mother, and brother behind him. Ariana's sparkling blue eyes burned out to a dull grey-ish blue as her blood and tears began to mingle. The men's screams and shouts, as his father did unmentionable things to them went unnoticed by Albus. It would only be the next day, when Albus was ten years old, that he would remember the horrid noise of Ariana's cries.

---

On Albus's tenth birthday Ariana gave him the sound of her tears to replace her laughter, and she also gave him a pair of poorly made woolen socks.

---

He was a third year now, at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and he was a Gryffindor. Albus Dumbledore was the top of his class and the brightest wizard of his year, yet, on the opening day of his third year Albus could only feel annoyed. His head pounded from a headache caused by his younger brother's listless worries.

Aberforth was a first year, even though he was already twelve, his birthday fell later in the year, yet the accusations from his said brother-of not caring enough about Ariana-about not thinking of her when he was away. It all bombarded his mind, causing it to ache so. Just because he didn't whine like Aberforth, just because he never let his eyes trail over to the sight of Ariana, just because he had forgotten the sound of her laughter, and just because he blocked her tears and cries from his ears-it didn't mean that he didn't care.

After all, tonight his feet were covered in a pair of socks. One too tight around his ankles, the other too loose; the socks were in bad shape; obviously outworn. Yet, there the pair of woolen socks stayed upon his feet, even though the weather was perfect for bare feet.

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_A/N: The end of another chapter. I hope everyone enjoyed this installment, oh, and Grindlewald will be in the next chapter, this one I figured should focus only on Dumbledore and how Ariana's 'attack' affected him. For, I'm sure it did. Please take care and tell me what you think in a review. : )_

-LilyGinnyBlack-


	4. Chapter Three

_A/N: Hello everyone! Sorry about the long wait, I've had a very busy schedule lately; school, homework, college stuff, GSA meetings, Japanese classes, and social life. But, here's the next chapter. This one has a slightly distant and vague feeling to it, but I want to you to have that when you're reading it. Some of the things mentioned in this chapter will be fleshed out more later on. I hope you all enjoy it. : )_

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Chapter Three

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The first time he had seen a muggle was on his trip to school. Before then he had never left the house, his parents telling him all he needed to know, and his books educating him in all the subjects that mattered. That was how Gellert had lived.

He hadn't known of the existence of muggle-born wizards and witches, Gellert's parents never spoke of them to him, thus, the thought never crossed his mind. Yet, upon entering Drumstrang, he came across one. Only one muggle-born, any more and the school would have been deemed far too contaminated. That was how Gellert's school life was.

His words were intellectual, and his remarks were witty, garnering him a collection of friends. Classmates flocked to him, and he gathered the attention to himself; grasping at it. Every student loved him, all the ones that mattered anyway. All the pure blooded students congratulated him on another award received or complimented him on another excellent party he had managed to conjure up (without the teachers awareness of course). This was how most of the school viewed him. This was how he viewed himself.

Yet, one student never saw this side of Gellert, one student never understood the exceeds except attitude all the other students held towards him. Who was this unfortunate student? Why, the muggle-born student of course.

The Gellert he saw was far different from the one in everyone else's eyes. His Gellert was simply known as Grindelwald. Whose eyes were always cold and golden curls held the impression of being far too perfect to be natural. Grindelwald's lips were always pulled up in a smirk, never did his face hold a smile, and harsh words were the only words directed at him.

Mudblood, Grindelwald had informed him of his discovery of the word, spoke of how the word flowed so smoothly and sounded so lovely. This was the side of Grindelwald that the muggle-born student saw. This was the side that the other students saw too. But, the other students agreed with him, nothing was wrong. Only one student saw the heavy flaws like deep gashes on Grindelwald's skin. He was the first victim of Grindelwald's, the first to say his name with fear and distaste, the first to fall in the act of murder…though according to Grindelwald it had been an accident.

A trip to the village not that far away, a violent snowstorm; a kind that teenagers laugh at and think, "No problem, it can't hurt me." Those were the ingredients that Grindelwald had used to create a believable story that they had simply gotten lost in the storm on the way to the village.

He gave the illusion of his crocodile tears being true, his voice being shaky, and his eyes being frantic. An actor was a career choice that in no way crossed his mind, though many would vouch for him being a superior one. All the teachers, even the student's own parents, had credited the tale as being true. Yet, when a similar incident occurred the next year, with a student that hadn't been muggle-born, but had supported them secretly, was killed due to an accident-Gellert Grindelwald had been expelled. This was at the end of his fourth year at Drumstrang; he was fifteen. He never finished school, instead, he was sent to live with his great aunt, Bathilda Bagshot.

---

Albus was treated in much the same way, with his large amount of lackeys following his every step and echoing his every word. Elphias Doge being the leader of them, with his star studded eyes and his attachment to every good deed Albus had done since they were eleven. But, there was a difference between Albus and Gellert. One longed for the attention, the other wished it would simply disappear; that he could be alone and not have to worry about others expectations or suffer through recited lies of his greatness.

Another distinction between them came to their stand on muggles and muggle-borns. To Albus nothing was wrong with muggle-born wizards and witches, they held magic in their blood. But, muggles had caused harm to one of his family members, had brought shame to his family name. Whenever asked he would not deny what his father had done to those muggles, they had deserved it, even if his family were the only ones who knew why. His grudge against muggles was hidden, cloaked over by a false pretense to help them. Hogwarts wouldn't allow its top student to act any other way, not without a scandalous appeal to the Daily Prophet anyway.

Hogwarts was not Drumstrang after all.

But, Albus found himself growing tired of the façade, day in and day out. Each year making his mask harder and harder to keep up, if only he had a way to channel his thirst for power or his longing of rightful justice. His father had done nothing wrong, those muggles had, but no one understood that.

Along with that an unnecessary weight had been added to his shoulders. The death of his mother; Ariana had been the cause of it, though no one but his brother and himself knew. The rest of the Wizarding community in Britain was fed the story of some freak accident, whatever it had been, Albus wasn't certain, since Aberforth had imagined it up. But, nevertheless, as his being the oldest he was now head of the family, it was an unwanted burden. He was forced into taking care of his brother and Ariana each day, one doing one wild thing after the next and the other immobile most of the time with the exception of magical explosions. He was sick of it all.

Thus, on the first day of summer break, between sixth and seventh year, when Albus's patience reached its limit and his weariness had gone beyond extreme, he met him. It was on this day that Albus Dumbledore met Gellert Grindelwald.

A lazy sung lay motionless in the blue sky as the softest of breeze curled through the green tree leaves. With such a day before him, and with the mess inside the house, caused by one of Ariana's accidental explosions of magic, Albus headed outdoors to read. He had dealt with her issues long enough on that day, and Aberforth had been more than willing to look after her, his dull colored eyes glaring at Albus. Where ever he went, a book would be locked in his hand that was the image Albus gave to the world, and it was that image which Aberforth scorned.

His body finding a comfortable spot in the grass, the book falling open to the spot marked by a place holder; he began to read. Bare feet being tickled by the grass, for long ago the woolen socks his sister had made had fallen apart due to over wearing them and a warm gaze on his back.

Before he even got started reading, a loud noise reverberated throughout Godric's Hollow, his next door neighbor had just appeared outside her house; Bathlida Bagshot. She was a queer woman, usually locked up in her house, hardly venturing outside, if only for food. So, to Albus the sight was unusual, it drew his attention to her, but his focus was soon fixed.

For there, standing tall next to the young, yet quite unattractive woman was a figure of beauty. Albus was not quite sure at first if the person was male or female, the stance coming of masculine, yet the delicate skin and curls giving a feminine appeal. When the individual turned their face to glance around the small neighborhood, Albus's confused state only increased. The structure of their face was more angular than that of a woman's, yet their pout turned lips and almond shape eyes helping to reinforce the female appearance. Either way, whether male or female, Albus came to one conclusion, the individual was beautiful. Far much so when compared to Bathlida Bagshoot.

Whoever that person was, at the moment Albus did not know. But, Albus Dumbledore never liked not knowing something, thus, his goal for the day was not what it had previously been. He no longer cared about reading a book on some subject or another; he much preferred the idea of getting to know his, as of now, new neighbor.

---

On that day, Dumbledore felt the beginnings of love, without even realizing it, the attraction to another human being.

On that day, Grindelwald felt the beginnings of hate, with the full realization of it, not everything in the world went his way. And, he didn't like it.

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_A/N: They plot finally starts moving. : P Anyway, the chapters will get longer once they start to interact with each other (next chapter). Tell me what you think of it in a review and take care. : D_

-LilyGinnyBlack-


	5. Chapter Four

_A/N: Here's the next chapter everyone, and finally, some interaction between Dumbledore and Grindelwald! Anyway, thank you all for reading and/or reviewing. It means lot, so please enjoy the next installment. : )_

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Chapter Four:

"I was too wild, held too many parties, and got too many detentions…that's why I was expelled from school and sent here. They think that my great aunt might be able to 'straighten my path'…or something stupid like that anyway."

Gellert smiled slyly and then laughed, his eyes focused on Albus. Watching as the other boys blue eyes shone with intrigue, sucking up the lie as easily as if it were the truth, and how his lips curled up into a smile, which eventually transformed into a laugh. Gellert found Albus so easy to play with, the auburn haired boy so simple to deceive. Yet, Gellert had also noticed how it was only with him that Albus put his guard down; it was only him that he believed without a second glance. Gellert had no idea why though, they hadn't even known each other for that long yet, a few days at the most.

Nevertheless, he could remember the first day that he saw Albus; subtly glancing at the auburn haired boy, who stood out solely for his hair, for his clothing consisted of nothing flamboyant. His wardrobe would be labeled as a studious type. And, what else he was able to gather about Albus on his first day of arrival, was that he was indeed a bright person, always with a nose in his book, and he seemed to be unfavorable towards people…or at least towards his own family. Gellert's great aunt had mentioned how he had a sister, yet he had never seen a girl leave the house, not once.

Either way, his mind was brought back to the present by Albus, "Hey, Gellert!" Albus's voice was obnoxiously loud at first, in order to gain his attention, and then it turned rather thoughtful, "What's on your mind? You always seem so happy, with a smile on your face. How could you smile so much like that?"

For some reason, Gellert had the feeling that the last question had some history behind, as if Albus had asked the question before, perhaps to someone else, or at the least had thought of the question before. Either way, the prospect of knowing what another person was thinking, it was very tempting. But, why would Albus even want to know what was on his mind, they barely knew each other, why it was only the other day when he actually acknowledged Albus as his friend. It was only the other day when he found out that Albus, too, did not like muggles or wouldn't mind controlling them anyway.

He had been told to be careful in this part of England; had been told by his parents that his great aunt lived in a shady place, filled with muggles and hiding only a small wizarding community. So, he was careful. Questioning Albus to the bone, making sure he knew where the other stood when it came to wizards and witches, squibs, muggle borns, and muggles. Finding himself highly disappointed in the fact that he had no problems with muggle borns, but highly delighted that Albus had been eager at the prospect Gellert had placed before him. Find a way to control muggles.

In all actuality, they were supposed to be finding a way to do that today, they had briefly started looking through the piles upon piles of books that his aunt had (she was a historian after all), but then they had taken (what was supposed to have been) a quick break. Yet, that quick break had soon evolved into the whole afternoon. How that had happened, Gellert didn't know, they both were not slackers; they enjoyed research and studying, yet they both found ways to distract the other.

Albus's eyes were still on him, patiently awaiting an answer to his inquiry. So, Gellert gave him a reply, with his eyes shut and his face tilted upward and the warmth of the sun upon his face, "It would be nice to read someone else's mind, wouldn't it. And-"here Gellert paused for a second, thinking of what Albus would readily believe, "I guess I can smile, because I love people." The golden haired boy grinned in order to prove his point.

Though, the point was that he lied once again or, at least, he didn't tell the whole truth. Sure he would love to read another human beings mind, the easier to would be to understand them and their motives-easier it would be to manipulate them-and he did smile because of people. He didn't like people though, no, he needed people. Those were to very different things, he didn't like the energy it took to be around others, but at the same time he needed that contact in order to survive, since he was voided of it in his childhood. When he was around people he felt superior and he also felt powerful.

Gellert had already noted that neither of these feelings showed up when he was around Albus.

It was almost as if he had met his match.

---

As the grass brushed against his thin clothes, Albus couldn't help the grin that was crawling across his face. It was true that he was annoyed with his heart for beating so rapidly in the presence of Gellert and for his mind becoming so at ease, yet, there was nothing he could do. Whenever he was around Gellert he became helpless, entranced by his beauty. It was all very frustrating.

But, Albus loved it.

The childish act of sitting out in the sunlight talking would have disgusted him a few days ago, now Albus could sense a rising of contentment. It was all so surreal. He was friends with the boy who captured his attention, he was going to finally get revenge on muggles for destroying his stable (though highly annoying) family, and he finally found another human being who wasn't a waste of space; another human being who matched Albus's own standards.

A week ago, when he was at the end of another Hogwarts year, he had pre destined his mind to think of summer as disastrous, but now he was positive that it would be productive and brilliant.

Yes, it was bound to be with Gellert by his side.

Gellert who always was smiling and laughing, who always had perfect hair, and who always knew the right words to say. Gellert who didn't need to rely on others, who was independent enough to walk on his own two feet, and who could plainly see the ugliness of the world; though be completely innocent of it all the same. Albus wished to know how a human being could be like that. He longed to know what a person like that thought. How it was possible to see through squinted eyes or to talk through turned up lips.

Albus would never acknowledge the fact that Gellert reminded him of Adriana, nor would he acknowledge that he had thought those same questions in concerns to Adriana years previous.

Never.

Yet, how wonderful would it be to know how to become like that. How wonderful would it be to read a person's mind, to know their every muse, and how wonderful would it be to always be a step ahead? Wonderful indeed; if only Albus could get Gellert to share that same interest.

---

"Come on Albus, we're heading back inside! We can't waste the whole day away can we?" Gellert commanded towards the blue eyed boy who, though being older than Gellert by two years, obeyed his every word to a tee. So, they both headed back into the quaint house, located a short distance from the small pond they had been sitting near.

The fresh air and bright sunlight faded seemingly in an instant to dust filled air and dim candlelight, as Gellert lead the way down into the basement of his great aunt's house. It was there where all Bathlida Bagshots books were kept in immaculate order and condition. Shelf upon shelf, settled in the lowest depths of the house due to lack of space above for a proper library.

"Start looking for anything that could help us in controlling those muggles." Gellert chose to use the nicer term, muggles, because he found that Albus would unconsciously flinch at the word mudblood. And Gellert didn't like to see Albus flinch. So, he strayed away from the word when he was aware of his diction.

Gellert caught the sight of Albus skimming one of the numerous rows of books, out of the corner of his eye. It was lovely how Albus did whatever he said; over the couple of days he had come to see the older boy as a sort of puppet, a refined toy.

His delicate fingers briefly touched over each tome's spine, noting the age of each text, and anticipating what they could discover within the withered pages. Unable to get that far though, for Gellert paused at the sound of Albus's voice, "Over here, Gellert, I found something. I think…" The voice trailed off.

"I'll be right there." Barely audible footsteps were made across the cemented floor as Gellert gently walked over to the other side of the room. "What did you find? Information on a rare artifact, the text of a secret organization, what?

A slight pinking of Albus's cheeks met his eyes, as Albus's bright orbs shifted downwards, "Nothing like that, I'm sorry, just…It has to do with before. Legilimency, a type of mind reading, I guess you could say. Can we look into it? It might be helpful."

"Right, helpful. You just want a way to read my mind." A smirk spilt across Gellert's face, as a sense of frustration rose in his chest. Once again he was acting for Albus, and yet again Albus didn't even notice. But the frustration and mask wasn't because he was mad at Albus, on the contrary, he was mad at himself.

Albus was his toy, yet when Albus suggested that they take a break outside, they did.

Albus was his puppet, held up by his strings. But, it would appear that this puppet would always get its way.

Albus, whose strands of auburn were highlighted by the glowing candlelight, and whose eyes glittered. How could Gellert refuse him? "Let me see this book…Hand it over!" His tone was only slightly forceful at the end, trying more so to portray one of indifference as his right hand stretched out to take the tome.

"Legilimency, huh…"

---

A rush of more blood to his cheeks, this was what Albus noted as Gellert sat down next to him. Both shrouded in the darkness of the isolated room, with only a flickering flame for light. And the text opened in between them, they who were so close. The thoughts fled from his mind with a gulp and a minor shake of the head. Really, Gellert was going to be practicing reading his mind, he couldn't think anything embarrassing.

He was in control once again; oh, how Albus longed for the night to never come. To stay there forever and never return to that dismal place he called home. He felt free when he was Gellert, it was invigorating, not tiring. Yet, the hours passed and the sky darkened into night, and Bathlida Bagshot called down to them. She informed them both of how Albus was to head home.

Pale hands, Albus observed, closed the book shut, as Gellert placed it back on the shelf. "We'll talk tomorrow then, won't we Albus."

It wasn't a question, he knew this instantly. "Yes." He responded accordingly. Heading up the basement stairs without a glance back or even a "good-bye" from his lips, such generics were unneeded and, as Albus took a moment, he concluded that they were unwanted as well. With his facial color back to normal, Albus left the Bagshot residence and walked home.

Only across the way, they weren't far apart, but the two houses were two worlds to Albus. Reality verse fantasy, non-fiction verse fiction; that was the only way they could be contrasted and compared. As he glanced forward at his house, Albus took in the sight of dusk over the roof top; it would have been beautiful if it had been over another house. Over his, the sunset was just as ugly as a rain cloud.

A sigh escaped his lips as he latched onto the door handle. The expected meeting with Aberforth already exhausting his body and mind, "Ariana's just fallen off to sleep." There was Aberforth, right on time, just as predicted.

"That's nice." He didn't care; he just wanted to be back with Gellert.

"You were over Ms. Bagshot's house again, weren't you? Hanging out with that Grindelwald kid?" Aberforth's tone screamed out that of a mother berating her child.

"Yes." How bothersome it was to supply his brother with an answer he already knew.

"Grindelwald, he's odd. Something's off about him, I don't like him. I don't understand how you could see anything favorable in him. I mean, he was expelled from school for a reason, and he was just barely done with his fourth year. You shouldn't be friends with someone like that." Aberforth was trying so hard, Albus could tell, to try and be responsible, to try and enforce something over him, but it wouldn't work.

"The last time I checked you were my younger brother, not our deceased mother." How annoying. "I'm going up to bed."

Albus knew that his brother was fuming over what had just occurred, but Albus could, quite honestly, care less. He just wanted to sleep. Albus wanted to close his eyes off to the night and open them to the day, so he could be with Gellert again. It was childish.

He quickly and silently cracked open the door to Ariana's room, she was in fact sleeping peacefully. This, too, was childish. Albus closed the door again and crossed the hallway to his room.

Upon entering, he let his body sink into the bed, not bothering to change into any type of night clothes. He was far too anxious for the next day and exhausted from the day. His eyes swiftly shut and he fell asleep.

---

The true tale of Albus Dumbledore and Gellert Grindelwald would begin the next day, with the discovery of a passage on the objects known as Deathly Hallows.

---

_A/N: Not much to say on this chapter, just that I particularly like how it turned out. Anyway, please tell me what you think of it in a review and take care!_

-LilyGinnyBlack-


	6. Chapter Five

_A/N: Sorry about the long wait everyone, and I wish I could have gotten it out before Christmas, for a sort of Christmas present. But, I've been far too busy. So, see this chapter as a late Christmas, but early New Years, present. : ) Anyway, this chapter is longer than usual, and the characters went out of my control, nevertheless I like how it came out. I hope you all enjoy it!_

---

_**Chapter Five:**_

A flickering flame was the only source of light, illuminating the worn out page that Gellert's head slowly began to drupe over. After Albus had left he descended back into the basement, locking himself in with the old texts. Gellert dimly noted when his great aunt Bathilda had called down to him, telling him to go to bed. Shortly afterwards he heard her snores. She had fallen asleep and so he stayed put.

Now, though, his fatigued body cursed his curious mind. One perpetually set on a tyrannical goal, though Gellert himself did not see it in such a light. Even though his head bobbed up and down and his eyelids constantly flickered over his eyes, Gellert continued to read. Some of the words blurred into each other, and at times he found it hard to focus, but he was a very determined teenager. He knew the answer was close by, hiding away in another book or two; that was all he needed to continue his pursuit.

Piles of books encased him, closing him in. Dim light highlighting an unimportant title; "Beetle the Bard". It sounded like a child's fairytale. What Gellert needed was a text explaining how to become invincible, how to gain ultimate power. A fairytale couldn't tell him this, a fairytale was just an insufferable rambling to teach children "morals". Muggle controlling was not seen as being "morally correct". But, the book seemed to be calling out to Gellert, and with no other lead, he began to read.

To his surprise the tale was written in runes, though, the ruins weren't all that difficult, it was a child's story after all, with simple words. Yet, the tale was more than one of right and wrong, in between the inked lines laid a deeper message. A wand of un measurable power, a stone to call upon the dead, and a cloth to hide with; such objects stood out to Gellert. These were the objects that he sought. All he needed to do now was a little research. That could wait until the morning, when he would go over to Albus's for a bit of help, right now, before falling off to sleep, he would send an owl over to Albus informing him of the news.

If Albus was asleep already, which Gellert was near positive that he was, then he would just have to be woken up. Albus was his toy after all, and a toy was under the complete jurisdiction of it's master.

Like a gush of wind, Gellert rushed from the basement, his footsteps heavy upon the old stairs, as curled and aged pages nearly crumbled as his feet trampled them. Now was not the time to think of such trivial things. Once on the level floor of the house, Gellert quickly, yet as silently as possible (since his great aunt was still asleep), trailed up the small set of stairs to the second floor landing. There his small and dull bedroom was located and it was there that his aunt's owl was now being kept. The creatures name was unknown to Gellert, since he saw it useless to know, and the animal was extremely old, but he had no other choice and Albus did not live that far away-not far away at all.

With slightly blackened hands, due to the overuse of ink, Gellert tied the small bit of parchment to the owl's leg. He softly noted to the animal that it should not tap too loudly upon the window. Why Gellert told the animal this he did not know, the owl was probably far too dumb to even understand, and Albus was his toy...most of the time though, Gellert could swear that it was the other way around.

---

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Make it stop.

Tap, tap. Tap.

How horrid.

Tap, tap, tap. Tap.

It won't stop, the sound won't stop. Just like those men, just like those words, just like...It won't stop!

Ariana could feel the insanity coming on. Her mind reverting to an unknown state, a mindset were everything blended together, whether reality or fiction such categories no longer mattered and such genres no longer existed. This was Ariana's world. Unstable and easily broken, shattered by the smallest of sounds.

Unbearable noises reminding her of the noises those men had made. The repeating nature dragging up memories of the torture they continuously placed upon her small frame. It was all so ugly and awful, she wanted to forget it-wanted to scream-to escape those memories.

She was trapped.

Her body wanted to move, to lunge and attack, while her lips parted and a harsh scream was emitted. The screech mixing with the now irritated owl's. Her blood was flowing fresh and hot through her veins, while an unknown feeling was building up in her stomach. Building and building until the point of it exploding from her body in a brilliant flash of light.

The rush of footsteps muted by Ariana's voice and the owners of the footsteps blinded by her overflow of magical power. Yet, Aberforth and Albus both entered the room; any sign of sleep clearing off their faces due to the circumstances, one racing to Ariana's side and the other to the window.

Aberforth wrapped his arms around the lithe frame of Ariana, calming her to the point of her screams turning into tears and her magic draining to a small trickle. While Albus retched open the window and caught the flustered owl as it came in. Soft whimpers and whispers came from the direction of Albus's younger siblings as he noted the perfectly rolled and tied piece of parchment attached to the animal's leg. Releasing the old owl of its burden, and watching it fly towards Gellert's house; Albus undid the tie, unfurled the parchment, and began to read:

_Albus,_

_I've found something of important interest that will most certainly help us in our goal. Since it is rather late at night, I shall inform you more on this topic tomorrow. I shall be at your house early in the morning. This cannot wait!_

_Gellert_

His house! Gellert was coming to his house. What was his friend thinking? Gellert knew that he did not like the idea of the younger boy meeting the members of his family. Albus had told him that the first time that he had talked to him. Alas, it seemed there was going to be no way to persuade his friend to changing the location of their get together, never mind the late hour. With a heavy sigh and a brief glance in Ariana's direction, seeing that her tears and cries had subsided into a light sleep and barely audible snores. He could go back to sleep now, Aberforth was by Ariana's side, and her body seemed at peace for the moment. And, the whole issue with Gellert, what would happen would happen...it was bound to happen sooner or later anyway, they _were_ neighbors.

Albus's feet slightly dragged as he walked tiredly from Ariana's room to his own. Upon entering and flopping his worn body onto his messy, already slept in, bed. Oh Merlin, how he dreaded tomorrow morning!

---

"No, there is no way! That awful boy is not setting foot in this house, Albus, he is not going anywhere near Ariana. I forbid it!" Albus rolled his eyes yet again at his brother's words.

"You've seemed to have forgotten who is the eldest here, Aberforth. And, though I _hate_to inform you of this fact, the eldest happens to be me. So, if I want Gellert to come over the house, he will. End of discussion." Albus kept his tone dry and rather harsh, for he found this to be the only way to deal with his brother.

Aberforth gave a frustrated sigh as he began to leave the room, knowing that he was not going to win the verbal fight. Though, he was an individual who always had to have the last word in an argument, whether he was winning said argument or loosing it, "You're more of a prick then usual, Albus. What, do you fancy this boy or something? Is that why you're so easily taken in and fooled by him."

Albus eyes widened a fraction as he acknowledged his brother's words, to think he would have such nerves to say that to him. Sure, Albus would admit to being attracted to Gellert, but in no way did he fancy him or love him. And he was not fooled by Gellert, after all, he and Gellert were very similar in some senses, and he had fooled numerous people in his lifetime. Thus, Albus Dumbledore would know, without any doubt, when he was being fooled. Right now Gellert was doing no such thing.

"I am not being fooled nor do I love him, Aberforth! And, even if I did, at least I do not have an unhealthy obsession with my sister or a love for goats that could be considered a fetish." His voice was cold and low as he spoke, though his temper was steaming. To think his brother could be so foolish, oh how he hated him sometimes.

---

Knock. Knock. Knock.

This was the third time that he had banged upon Albus's front door, but still no answer. Gellert pondered over what could be the cause, until he heard rising voices coming from the inside of the house. He listened closely.

An argument. Albus and Aberforth, or so Gellert assumed, were yelling back and forth over something. But what? Ah, he heard his name, so they were arguing over him. He listened closer.

Albus's voice was icy and cruel, not the usual soft and sweet tone that Gellert's ears were familiar with. To him, this tone of Albus's was far better. After all, Gellert was one who preferred pain over pleasure and death over life. Something crude was far superior to something beautiful. At that moment Gellert was pleased to have Albus as his partner, to be the owner of such an interesting toy.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

It was a pointless act, he knew, since they would be unable to hear the feeble knock over their own loud voices. But, Gellert saw no other option. So, he tried once again. For the last time, and if the door was not answered this time, then it was never going to be answered.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

The door opened.

It was not Albus's face that met his nor was it Aberforth's, rather it was a small girl with large blue eyes and trailing curls of blonde. In fact the more he studied the girl the more he noted the striking resemblance she held toward his own image. This was Ariana then.

---

Loud voices and arguments, they always did this; always, always, always. For this reason Ariana was never bothered by her brothers's arguments. They were a part of everyday life to her. She hated them. She wished they would stop. And she knew, that most of the time, they yelled and screamed over her. She hated it all so much.

But, lately, they had been arguing over someone else, someone Ariana had never heard of before. They never mentioned his name, Aberforth always calling the boy foul or horrid and Albus just saying him, but whomever he was-Ariana wanted to meet him.

Her feet slowly crept down the stairs as she continued to listen to the verbal fight. This one being more heated then any in the past. And, oh, at last, they said the boy's name. Gellert. Ariana wanted to meet Gellert more than anything. Her brothers both fought over them, so Gellert and she must have something in common. Maybe he lost control of himself like she did, or maybe he was inflicted with some other, similar problem. Whatever it was-they were comrades. Now, to only meet him...

Knock. Knock. Knock.

The sound was light. If one didn't listen closely enough they would have missed it. But, Ariana just barely caught it. She glanced briefly back at her brother's, both red faced with anger though Aberforth's eyes were wider then usual and the red of his face was not as bright as Albus's, dulled by a coloring of pink. Aberforth was embarrassed by something that Albus had said.

Ariana lips parted only just, letting out a soft giggle. The thought of one of her brothers being embarrassed always amused her. But, she couldn't stand and laugh forever, she had to go and see who was at the door before the person left. Who knows, it could be that Gellert who she was desperate to meet. Her pale hands reached out to grasp the worn, golden colored door handle. Turning it down and pulling the wooden door towards herself, Ariana was greeted to the sight of a young boy. His age looked to be around her own, maybe a year or two older and his eyes were a lovely shade of blue. Though, the shapes of his eyes were far sharper than her own, and the curls of his blonde hair were tighter than hers. But this boy-this was Gellert-she was sure of it.

She was going to meet him. She was so happy.

"May I come in? Even though it appears that the one I came to see is in an argument with his brother." His tone was teasing, and a smile was spread so wide upon his face that his eyes were like mere slits. He smiled as widely as she used to. His eyes squinted up as much as hers used to. Maybe Albus was friends with this boy because he saw what she used to be in him...but no, Albus didn't care about her. Aberforth didn't care either.

Ariana heard a small cough, which brought her back to the boy in front of her, as she felt her face heat up only slightly-she was blushing. She hadn't blushed in years. "I'm sorry, come in." Her face was capable of forming a small smile, but nothing like the smiles she used to be able to give, nothing like the smile currently on Gellert's face.

"The way Albus described you to me; I was expecting a mad woman." He laughed; it was a sweet laugh like a bell ringing. If only Gellert knew that, most of the time, she was a mad woman. It was only a occasionally that she would have such control over her body and thoughts. Only passing moments in time when she could recall the little girl she had once been and the way her family had once been.

Gellert was now inside the house, Albus and Aberforth were still fighting, so Ariana figured it would be better to bring Gellert up to Albus's room. He could wait up there and she could keep him company. After all, it wasn't men that scared her, no, it was muggles. Grasping one of his hands in her own she began to lead him up the stairs. "Woah! Where are we going?"

Her feet quickly climbed up the steps, though the climb had the impression of taking longer than it should have, "Are we going up to your room?" A blush crawled up her face again. He was only teasing, but his tone also held something else in it, was this what was meant by suggestive? Ariana was not quite sure, but this boy had made her blush two times already.

"No, I'm bringing you to Albus's room. We'll wait there until the fighting between those two is done. I'll keep you company."

"I like the sound of that." Good, he said that sentence normally.

Here was Albus's room; the door was plain, as was the room inside, but Ariana found that fit Albus's personality rather well. "Here's Albus's room." Ariana opened the door wide so that Gellert could enter the room with no hindrance.

"Thank you." His voice was polite as was the expression on his face. Ariana walked over to the clean and made bed, sat herself down, and watched as Gellert repeated her actions. "So, what do you want to talk about?" Ariana should have been afraid of this questions, should have been weary, but she wasn't.

She was only afraid of loud noises, unexpected occurrences, and muggles. Gellert was none of these things; his voice was soft, she was expecting him, and (if the wand sticking out of his pocket was any indication, which she believed it was) he was a wizard.

In Ariana's brain she had nothing to fear. Though, Ariana's mind wasn't normal, and sometimes wizards were a far greater danger than muggles. Ariana wouldn't realize this yet though, no not yet, and by the time she did, her life would no longer be on this earth.

But that, that wasn't to happen yet.

---

"Aberforth and Albus don't notice, they never ask, but sometimes, like right now, I can remember the past. I can remember being a little imp; talking back to my mother, tricking my father into getting me that baby doll that I had wanted, playing with Aberforth, and making special birthday presents for Albus. I can remember what our family was like when we were all happy. When my brothers only annoyingly bickered, when they only verbally fought and never threw fists at each other. I can remember all that. And right now, right now I'm sane. But, I go insane sometimes, and I can never recall what I do or say or what happens. I can't."

Gellert listened patiently. But, the girl had been babbling on now for nearly half an hour. A glance at his unique clock told him this, though others wouldn't be able to tell (since there was no actual numbers but planets and stars). How much longer would she talk for? When would Albus realize that someone else was in his house? If he upset Ariana enough to have her go insane, then would that bring Albus up the stairs running? That seemed to be the only plan that Gellert had left to him.

"If something were to happen to you, if you were to go insane, which one would care?" He asked Ariana, seeing the concentrated look of thought upon her childish face.

"Truthfully, neither one really cares. Aberforth comes to my aid every time, but that's only because he has some kind of attraction to me or something, and Albus rarely comes for me. But, I think he cares more than Aberforth, even if he doesn't show it all that well. One year I made him woolen socks for his birthday, and he used to wear them all the time around the house. Even in the summer." Gellert could sense the smirk slithering over his lips. If he had the personalities of Albus and Aberforth down right, then Albus was the more perceptive one. Since the fighting downstairs had abated to stern talking, he figured Albus would hear his sisters whimpers or screams.

Perfect.

Slowly he began to creep closer to here. Her eyes widening, her lips parting, her hands placing themselves behind her. She was confused. That was good, her confusion would quite suddenly turn into fear. Just a little nearer.

Gellert's hands reached out for her face, dragging it to close to his own. Her legs were bent as if ready to push and crawl herself backwards, as if ready to make some kind of mistake. But her timorous expression told him that she was too frightened to even move. "What, what..." Her voice was breathy. She was beginning to whimper.

They were so close now he could see his own reflection in her large, clear eyes. Quite the evil smirk was played across it. The thought of if she was blinded to even that paused and then passed through his mind. Two pair of pale lips were brushing each others, her face scrunching up-ready to burst out with a scream. "Please, stop..."

"NOOOO!" Her scream echoed out throughout the room and he was positive had traveled through the door and down the stairs to Albus's ears.

Gellert was transfixed on the sight of her screams. Breaking the grip he had held on her. Tears streaming from her eyes, hands pulling and ripping at her fair hair, and an unnatural glow emitting from beneath her skin; unconstrained magic pouring from her core. This girl truly was insane.

How could he have thought that Albus saw her in himself. The girl was a monster.

---

Whimpers, a scream. Scream after scream; tears. Ariana was having another one of her fits. What a horribly bad bit of timing. They had just finished arguing and _he_ was supposed to be at the house at any moment. The day was most certainly one from Hell.

Hurried footsteps up the stairs. The ritual of heading towards Ariana's room, but, the screams and cries were not coming from there, they came from...But why was she there? Why was she in _that_ room? It didn't really matter at the moment.

Bang. The door was violently pushed open. And there was the sight of Ariana. Lost to the world in one of her fits, and there was also another in the room. Him, eyes staring at Ariana as if she were some kind of beast.

"You! What did you do to her?"

---

_A/N: There you go the ending of another chapter. I'll try and get the next chapter out as soon as possible. Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed it and that you all had a Merry Christmas or whatever it is you may celebrate. : D Happy Holidays everyone!_

-LilyGinnyBlack-


	7. Chapter Six

_A/N: Hello everyone! I trust you all had a Happy New year and that 2008 is treating you well thus far. Anyway, here is the next chapter. I like how this one turned out and I hope that you all enjoy it too. So, enough with my rambling, here it is:_

---

**Chapter Six:**

**---**

"You! What did you do to her?" The sound of Albus's voice broke through the screams and cries. A brief smirk danced across Gellert's face, it was just as he predicted, Albus was the perceptive one and he came. Though, Gellert quickly put on his act, his eyes wide in confusion and his voice light with uncertainty.

"I-I don't know. I didn't mean-I only...I was just teasing her Albus, I didn't know it would turn out like this. I'm sorry...so sorry!" Tears, fake tears, began to well up in his eyes and trail down his face. They slid down smooth and quickly, as if they knew that they were only for show, that no emotion was held within them.

"Un..."

The soft sound echoed in Gellert's ears as he glanced at Albus out of the corner of his eyes. Gellert could just make out Albus's light blue orbs (which were obstructed from his view due to Albus's glasses) were half closed, covered by his thin eyelids, and his gaze was off to the side, focused on the floor, while his bottom lip was held captive by his teeth.

Got him.

---

Aberforth's feet stomped off in utter annoyance once their argument began to reach its end. Albus just sighed. It was always so frustrating with his brother. If only he could just leave them...but he couldn't, he had far too much pride to do something like that. At least now it was quiet, and Gellert was sure to show up any second.

With his eyes briefly closed Albus just listened to the silence, until he noted the sound of a whimper. It was barely audible, but it was there. Obviously something was wrong with Ariana, and Aberforth was off god knows where, so he was left to take care of her.

As Albus's feet started towards the living room, and ultimately the stairs, he wondered over what could have been the trigger for Ariana this time. Usually it was when something unexpected happened or a loud noise went off; the house was silent today and so far-beside the usual argument between Aberforth and himself-rather dull. So...what could it have been?

Upon reaching the top of the stairs Albus heard it, Ariana's scream, yet it was different from the usual. It was not a scream of random insanity; rather it seemed to be one filled with fear and confusion, what was going on?

The answer had not been what he had expected.

---

Ariana was calm now. Albus had done his best to comfort her, Gellert noted the small amount of concern he shed for the young girl. As her arms latched themselves around her eldest brother, her tears racking her body, she clung to him until her tears abated...he was unable to get a laugh out of her though or even a smile. But, her eyelids began to get heavy and her body eventually submitted to sleep.

It was then when Albus turned his attention back to Gellert, for which Gellert was extremely happy about. He had started to feel impatient, and was more eager then ever to inform his little toy about the Deathly Hallows. Thus, he reached out for Albus's hand, noticing how unintentionally Albus's blue eyes held a small amount of concern as they glanced at a now sleeping Ariana. Once Albus's hand was intertwined with his own Gellert commanded, though in a rather quiet voice so as not to awaken that inhuman girl, "Come on Albus; let's go outside, I have something that I want to tell you about. It's really important, so come on!"

Yet, Albus was staying put; his eyes were glazed over as if he were looking at something far farther then his own sister. Gellert sighed. In a rude manner he let the older boy's hand go and tried a different strategy, moving behind Albus he let his pale arms wrap themselves around his body. The warmth of Albus's body was nearly overwhelming.

"Wha..! Gellert, what are you doing?" The shocked voice made Gellert smile, his eyes scrunching up and his lips stretching far too wide. Yet, Gellert did not answer him, instead he just laughed.

"Why? What's the matter Albus, don't you like this? You know...you're really warm." He tightened his hold on the auburn haired teenager as his body drew itself closer. Merlin was Albus easy to tease!

"What are you doing?"

Gellert melodramatically sighed, "You never answered! I guess you don't like me then after all, probably prefer your sisters company over mine..." Oh, what a load of bull he was pulling here, but knowing Albus he would fall for it.

And fall Albus did.

Quickly the older boy turned around; breaking the grip that Gellert had had on him, and with a blushed face interlocked their hands and headed for the door. "You know Albus; you look really cute when you blush like that."

Albus walked faster and Gellert just laughed.

---

Once they reached the backyard, Albus let go of Gellert's hand, though the cold touch of it was still felt in his fingers a few seconds after. His mind still stuck on the thought of Gellert's arms curled around him...it had been a cold embrace, like the hand he held had been. But that only attracted Albus more, someone as beautiful as Gellert could only be cold, like a statue. And, the fact that Gellert lacked the warmth like that of his sister and brother meant that he did not require the love and attention that Aberforth and Ariana did. Albus could be attracted to him without falling in love.

Of course, Albus didn't realize that he was far too gone for such a thing to be possible...

"So, Gellert, what was it that you wanted to tell me about?" Albus drew up the courage to glance back at the golden haired boy, continuously telling himself to not blush when he did so. Albus was brought back from his inner thinking when Gellert answered, and thus, Albus listened intensely to what he had to say on these "Deathly Hallows". He noted how Gellert's face seemed to light up and how Gellert's voice seemed to rise in excitement as he talked of the Elder Wand, though Albus, himself, was more interested in the Resurrection Stone. The ability to bring back the dead...it intrigued him.

They were now walking in the woods that surrounded Godric's Hollow, a place of solitude and of refugee in Albus's younger years. In those moments when he was forgotten, when his parents said, _"He doesn't want to come out and play, Aberforth, I'm sure he would much rather stay in his room and study. Why don't you play with Ariana instead?"_ It was in those times that he would sneak away from his room and go to the woods; getting lost in the foliage and the thick trunks of the trees, the thick leaves and branches blocking the sunlight from ever reaching him.

With the forest surrounding him, Albus used to wish that he would hear his parents say, just once, _"Aberforth, why don't you bug your brother and get him to come out of his room and play with you. All he ever does is study." _But they never did. They just assumed that he liked to study, that he didn't want to be with his younger siblings; that wasn't true-not at first-but then he gave up.

Here he was now, in a place of childhood comfort, he had lead Gellert here instinctively. How he had longed to come here with his brother, when he had been a small child, and now he could be here with someone who, though not his brother, was much closer. Albus could feel the euphoria building up. His eagerness making his arm reach to the side for Gellert's and making his feet charge forward, "Come on! I want to show you one of my favorite spots in these woods; I used to go here all the time. We can talk about the Deathly Hallows there, the spot is very relaxing."

Before Gellert could even give his answer, Albus found himself dragging the younger boy away.

---

Distracting, that's what Gellert realized Albus was to him, he was extremely distracting, with the way he childishly lit up at the prospect of taking him somewhere. Or with the way that Albus blushed so cutely. Or with the way Albus's hair shone so brilliantly in the sunlight. It was all too much and Gellert was finding himself liking the distraction. For here he was with the older boy, hidden away in the forest, secluded in a comfortable spot where they were supposed to be discussing the Deathly Hallows, but instead...instead...

"Thank Merlin, the shell isn't broken!" Relief flooded Albus's voice as he looked down at the medium sized egg, there was nothing special about it, it held no power nor did it seem to be that of a rare bird. And yet, Albus seemed to be in nears tears over it. Why? The boy got into arguments daily with his brother and put up a neutral front when it came to caring for his sister, so why was he so set to help the egg of some unknown bird? If the egg fell from its nest and the mother was taking no effort to try and find its egg, then it was meant to die. That was how it was meant to be, that was nature.

"Please!" Albus turned so viciously towards him that the force knocked off the older boy's glasses, luckily they didn't break, but it was then that Gellert truly saw Albus's eyes for the first time. They were not being hidden behind lens or frames, but right out in the open. The pair of blue orbs seeming darker in the dim light that was let in through the breaks in the trees and their size being larger then Gellert had expected them to be. Albus had puppy dog eyes, so wide and innocent, so inviting and affectionate. Yet, Gellert was positive that they didn't look like that back at Albus's home, they only looked like that when their gaze were directed towards him.

Getting up from the large log that he had been sitting on, Gellert crossed over to Albus, picking up the glasses before going behind the seventeen year old and hugging him from behind once again; finding the warmth most welcoming, encircling his arms around Albus's lithe body, and then letting his arms slowly climb their way up. Eventually his fingers felt the touch of Albus's face, the pair of glasses still in one hand, and when he felt the smooth surface of Albus's nose he placed the glasses on his face carefully and blindly. Only to feel that warm touch of Albus's fingers helping to properly place the glasses. "You're so warm, but only to me, why aren't you like that with your brother or sister? To them your touch must feel like mine, as cold as ice."

Albus leaned into him and bent his head downward to look at the good sized egg nestled in his hands. "I remember when Ariana was like this egg; a small baby that needed to be held and protected, needed to be fed and changed, needed to be cared for and loved. I don't remember Aberforth so much as I do Ariana, and I wanted to help do that. I wanted to be the big brother that she admired and played with...but I was the eldest and I took to liking studies. My parents saw this as a chance. They thought that since I liked to learn and enjoyed reading I didn't want to bother playing with my younger brother and my only sister, so whenever Ariana or Aberforth went to bother me in my room my parents just sent them off to play. I tried to protest, but they never listened. I was the eldest, I was the heir to the family, and the fact that I wanted to learn meant I was going to be better prepared for Hogwarts and eventually get a well respected job. They cared about me, but they never took into consideration my childhood. I was jealous of my brother and sister, and that jealously turned into annoyance over time. I wish..."

Gellert listened as Albus's voice cracked with the sound of tears, and watched as he slowly turned around, burying his face into Gellert's chest. "It feels so nice...to curl up into the cold. Being warm all the time can be painful, the heat can get too hot, and sometimes I feel like I've burnt myself..." His voice was broken and he hiccupped a few times as he talked through his tears. Gellert held him close, glancing down to see the egg still in Albus's grasp.

"I'll help you protect and care for that egg, Albus...but we can't forget our original goal...okay."

Albus didn't say a thing; he just gulped slightly and sniffed, due to the tears, before nodding his head in the affirmative. Then, Gellert just held him until the tears began to slow down, and the sound of light breathing reached his ears. Albus was asleep. He wanted to get up and bring Albus home, but he felt the presence of sleep taking over his mind as well; the lack of it from the night before was finally catching up to him.

As his eyes started their descent, Gellert couldn't help but think that he enjoyed the distraction Albus supplied him with.

---

As the dim light flittered through the leaves and landed on the two male figures asleep in each others grasp, the egg of the phoenix, who would later be know as Fawkes, was kept safe and sound in their embrace.

---

_A/N: Tell me what you think of it in a review and please take care. : )_

-LilyGinnyBlack-


	8. Chapter Seven

_A/N: Hello everyone! I want to say thanks to all of those who reviewed, put this story on their favorites list, or put it on their alerts list, and etc. It means a lot to me. Anyway, I have a feeling you all will enjoy this chapter, since it has a scene that (I'm sure) many of you were looking forward to. So, please, enjoy. : )_

---

_**Chapter Seven:**_

For the greater good. It was a saying that Gellert had come up with, he knew how Albus was, remembered how Albus had nothing against half-bloods or muggleborns, just against muggles. Gellert noted how Albus cared so for the egg he had found, constantly giving it attention, nurturing it. And then, a few days ago, they had decided to go into the center of town to check if there were any books that shed more light on the Deathly Hallows. Objects that interested Albus, Gellert could tell, but ones that also seemed to unnerve him.

With Gellert pulling the red head along the cobble stone road, both of their eyes scanning the store names, for both rarely came into the town, preferring the comfort of their own house (or as was the case with Albus) the comfort of their own room. Yet, here they were hand in hand in the bright daylight out among other human beings, seemingly just like everyone else.

"Ah!" The soft, yet still exclamatory, sound that left Albus's lips caused Gellert to stop and turn around to inquire the cause.

"What's the matter, Albus?" But before he could even finish the question, the warmth in his hand disappeared, as Albus rushed over to a young boy who had fallen and was now crying. His eyes widened at the sight of Albus trying to calm the boy and wipe away his tears, of Albus telling the child that the pain would go away and that everything was going to be okay. How could he do that? How could he be so kind to someone he didn't even know?

Gellert could never do that. All he could ever be to people was a very cruel person, so cruel in fact, that no one ever suspected that he was such. That was what made him truly horrible, so many people thought he was an amazing person, when he was no such thing, though it probably made him a worse person to think that, in the end, that didn't bother him either.

But, Albus, Albus was so completely different from himself. He actually cared for people, true he fooled some, he had been told so by Albus himself, but he also told Gellert that sometimes he felt horrible when doing so. That was the major difference. He who could help a child, a muggle child at that, since he showed not a bit of accidental magic in his distressed state, a person who hates adult muggles, but can feel sympathy and pity for muggle children.

How had he, Gellert, been able to get close to someone such as this; someone who was not thirsty for power, but someone who saw what they were planning on doing being for...the greater good. Yes, he would explain this concept to Albus, as soon as he returned from helping the little boy.

The small child's laughter rang clear in his ears, as he watched a smile light up its face, and then ran off down the street. Albus then came back to him, latching Gellert's hand within his own, their fingers intertwined and held tightly.

That was when Gellert began to inform Albus of his concept. For the greater good.

---

Albus was nearing the end of his letter to Gellert:

_...(This was your mistake at Durmstrang!..._

He could remember Gellert, while explaining the concept of for the greater good, mentioning how, when he was still at Drumstrang, he had been somewhat wild. Pulling horrible stunts and tricks on the muggle born student their, and ultimately that had been what got him expelled, his abuse of power.

But, Gellert was not going to make that mistake again, not with himself by Gellert's side. He would keep the younger boy thinking straight. It didn't bother him that much though, everyone makes mistakes.

_But, I do not complain, because if you had not been expelled, we never would have met.)_

_Albus_

Of course, Albus did not realize that he had just made a mistake, believing another of Gellert's lies.

---

After reading Albus's letter to himself, Gellert felt something well up inside of himself. He had never felt it before but he was sure he knew what it was, he felt guilty. It was the first time he felt guilty for lying to someone. But, it wasn't just someone; it was Albus, his partner and his equal. Yet, he still lied about the reason for why he was expelled from Durmstrang.

He told Albus the other day that when they had first met and Albus had asked why he had been expelled, he had been unable to tell the truth because he hadn't known Albus all that well. Yesterday, he had told Albus that he was not expelled because he caused too much havoc, but because he used his knowledge of magic to a wrong use. Said he had hurt a muggleborn student multiple times (remembering to use the term muggleborn and not mudblood in Albus's presence). He couldn't look Albus in the eye and tell him the truth that the real reason he got expelled was because he killed a mudblood and a fellow student.

Albus would be incapable of understanding that concept. All Albus has done is aid life, not be like a grim reaper and take it away. The feeling of guilt, he would take it in and suffer, if it meant not tainting Albus. There had to be some way to make himself feel less guilty, to make the motto for the greater good seem far truer that it was in actuality. But, what could he do, there was nothing that could be done. Nothing.

"Gellert! That Albus boy is here again, he has some kind of egg with him." His great aunt's shrill voice called up to him.

Well, maybe when he was with Albus he would be able to think of something. Thus, he rushed down the stairs, not even bothering to give a reply to his great aunt, she wouldn't even notice if he did or not. And, upon reaching the door he examined Albus and the egg, which had a crack in it. "What's the matter Albus? Did the egg fall and crack or something?"

Albus just smiled and shook his head. "Well then, what happened to it, and why are you here?"

"It's hatching." Was all he said, as he hurried toward the basement, Albus and Gellert's place of refugee, their sanctuary.

"Oh." It was a rather pathetic response, but it had been the only one that Gellert could think of as he took off after Albus.

---

The dim, yellowish glow from the candles caused the worry lines on Albus's face to stand out more. His body had the appearance of being so fragile, as he watched the egg with intense eyes. The beak of the bird could just barely be seen, poking and peaking at the hard shell surrounding its body. Gellert found himself letting out a chuckle every now and then as Albus told the bird to "keep trying" and to "hang in there". To Gellert it was all such a ridicules concept.

Nevertheless, he found himself wrapping his arms around Albus, who was, and would always be, so warm to him. His weak, and yet strong, toy that he had the instincts to protect, just as Albus was protecting the bird that was being born before their eyes. The large blue orbs of Albus were fascinated by the image of this bird being born.

"Oh, look, Gellert, look he's almost out of his shell. I wonder what we should call him." Albus's voice held excitement and a tint of curiosity as he asked his question.

Gellert could just feel confusion rising up within him, "What do you mean, 'what should we call it? You're not going to keep it as some sort of pet or something, are you?"

"Well, yeah, that was what I was planning on doing. After all, I practically mothered this bird, it's going to be able to hatch and live because of me. So, I want to make sure that it survives, so I wanted to keep it like a pet of sorts."

Gellert's grip around Albus tightened slightly, "Are you stupid or something, this is a wild bird that you just found. Helping it to hatch and all is fine and everything, but to keep it as a pet. It's wild by instinct..."

"Ow, Gellert, you're hurting me." He turned around and Gellert could plainly see the physical and emotional pain, on Albus's face. "I want to keep it as a pet, so end of story. What are we going to name it?"

Gellert just sighed; Albus was once again determined beyond all recognition and was not likely to change his mind anytime soon. And so, Gellert fell into that determination and allowed it to rule over him, Albus always got what he wanted when it came to himself. Gellert just couldn't find it within himself to tell the other boy, "no."

That flaw was going to come back to haunt him one day.

---

It hatched. Albus could feel his own eyes become bright with happiness and laughter. How amazing a sight it was, to see a bird hatch from it's egg. He had come over around early morning, it was now near midnight. But, he didn't feel sleepy nor did it seem as if Gellert did. Ah, his excitement just grew when he saw what type of bird hatched from that egg-a phoenix!

How stunning!

The baby bird was still like any other, weak and dirty from it's long trial of exiting the eggshell, but there was no doubting that it was a phoenix. How rare, and here was Gellert thinking that it was just some regular old bird. Albus would keep it. It was true that phoenixes were rare creatures, but it wasn't unheard of for someone to find one and keep it as a pet. In fact, it was said that Merlin had one as a pet. They were rumored to make quite pleasant pets.

"I'll have to keep it now." The smile still spread across his face, Albus sensed the lack of warmth and realized that there was also a lack of arms holding him comfortably. Where had Gellert gone off to?

---

A phoenix, only Albus could find such an extraordinary bird in such an ordinary way. Merlin, what was it with this boy? Even though Gellert had asked, he wasn't actually hoping for an answer. Such things as those were better left unknown after all. Either way, he had left Albus in order to search for something to help them celebrate such a discovery.

But, his great aunt had no food or drink fit for a celebration, alas, the closest thing she had was a bag of Bertie Bott's Every Flavored Beans. They would just have to do. Gellert let a small irritated sigh pass his lips. He wished that he could do more for Albus.

Grabbing the bag, he turned around and headed back down the stairs, only to nearly run right into Albus. "What are you doing; shouldn't you be looking after that baby phoenix?"

"Oh, well, you see, you weren't there so I went to go look for you. But, you came back down so..."

"I was looking for something we could drink or eat to celebrate, but my aunt's only "celebration fit" food is a bag of Every Flavored Beans I'm afraid to say, nothing all that special."

"But, that is special! I've never had Every Flavored Beans before..." Albus's voice started off rather lively but then it began to die out. Thus, Gellert grabbed Albus's arm with his free one and dragged him back down the stairs.

"What do you mean by you "never had Every Flavored Beans before", they're so common placed I figured that every kid has." Gellert really couldn't understand the concept that such a normal childhood experience was missing from Albus's life. "Well, I guess these will do then. Here, why don't you try one?"

Albus gave a look of hesitance; everyone, whether they had eaten them or not, knew of the horrible tales surrounding some of the flavors. "My parents used to let my brother and sister have them all the time, but they assumed that I wouldn't like them. Always said how they were too childish and sweet for me. Said how I wouldn't like them. But, I've always wanted to try at least one."

Holding the bag out, closer to Albus and farther away from himself, Gellert urged the older boy once again to try one. "I swear, not all of them are flavored funky."

Albus smiled slightly, his eyes straying to the phoenix that was sleeping at the moment, exhausted from the hard work of being brought into the world, and then his gaze returned to Gellert, "I swear, I'll end up getting one of those funky flavors."

Laughter burst from Gellert's body, "With that attitude, of course you will." Then, taking one of the beans out of the rather large bag, Gellert unsuspectingly popped it into Albus's mouth; and grabbing another one, placed it within his own mouth. "Now, chew Albus."

And, like any good toy, Albus did what Gellert said. He chewed, and Gellert was greeted by a look of pure torture on his face. "Oh, I think I'm going to puke...no, no, I think that's the flavor I got! Oh, it's horrible!"

Its horrible was right, Albus's face had never looked like that, and Gellert couldn't stand to stare at it when it was scrunched up like that. Albus's face was meant to be calm and wonderful, not in pain and disgust. Without knowing why, and without acknowledging the fact that the flavor of chocolate ran through his mouth, Gellert found himself leaning in toward Albus..

---

Gellert's beautiful face inched its way closer, his eyelids slowly drifting close over his captivating orbs. What was he going to do, surely not what Albus had in mind. There was no way that he could...But, Albus's thoughts were cut off by Gellert's lips upon his own, his mind wiping itself blank, to think was far too much for his mind at the moment; his eyes closing quickly, though dully noting that Gellert's hair shined majestically in the candle light, giving him the appearance of some kind of holy being...giving him the appearance of an angel.

The sensation of Gellert's lips on his own, and then the added spark of his tongue entering his mouth, spreading the flavor of chocolate throughout, eliminating the horrid taste of vomit; it was a moment that Albus was sure he was going to forever remember, his first kiss. Taken by the only person who he felt himself attracted to, the only person he could care about and not love.

Yet, the moment came to end, a far too quick end for Albus's liking, they had just begun to explore each others mouths and lightly play with each other's tongues, when Gellert pulled away. His lips trailed over Albus's nose and he briefly placed a few kisses upon Albus's neck, before breaking contact and burying his head into the red heads chest and wrapping his arms around him.

Dazed and out of breath Albus just barely got out, "What...what was that for, Gellert?"

A soft laugh and the reply, "For the greater good." was all that Albus got in response.

That answer was good enough.

---

_A/N: So, there you go, Albus and Gellert's first kiss! I promise it won't be the last one, but I also can promise you that things won't be staying so sweet for much longer. Anyway, I hope you all liked it and please tell me what you think about it in a review. Take care. : D_

-LilyGinnyBlack-


	9. Chapter Eight

**Chapter Eight**

_A/N: Sorry about how long this chapter took to come out. m(- -)m I've just been so busy. So much junk that I have to do and so much homework. Though, my Japanese is coming along quite nicely, so I'm happy about that. Anyway, enough with my rambling, here's the next chapter, I hope you all like it:_

---

Dear Gellert,

The school has allowed you to come home for a few days. I have sent your tickets along with this letter, you will be escorted to the station by an offical of the school in two days time. Your father and I know that you must be eager to leave that fool of a great aunt, Bathilda, so you must be welcoming this letter. After all, the only people that live in that dreaded Godric's Hollow are muggle filth, mudbloods, and people like that great aunt of yours-being nice to those things. The thought alone makes me shudder in disgust! If you have been affected by that Bathlida, then your father and I will set you right again.

Love,

Your mother

Going back home. Such a thought as that had been forgotten by him over the weeks. He didn't want to go, they still hadn't found out enough information to control those muggles and muggleborns. They hadn't even figured out a symbol for their reign over the wizarding world. And, it was all because of Albus. He was far too distracting; with his breaks from researching to go outside, with his finding of Fawkes, with his blood red hair... with his sparkling blue eyes.

Simply put, the boy was distracting. He had thought such things before, but now he couldn't remember what his life was like without those distractions. What had he done with his time then? Was it all that important? No, Albus and himself had a plan, a dream, and that wasn't going to die. Today, he would tell Albus of his short visit (it was only a few days after all) and then he would go and return. Leave tomorrow and return in a few days. It wasn't all that hard, he could go 72 hours without seeing the boy he had come to consider his toy.

It was easy.

He missed his parents...

Albus would be sad.

---

He was being far too quiet today, and Albus didn't know why. It unnerved him really, he was so used to Gellert telling him something like he shouldn't have bought Fawkes with him or that the said bird's song was too loud and annoying. He was behaving awkardly too. Gellert hadn't acted awkard, ever, not even the day after their first kiss...

That hadn't been all that long ago, and they had only kissed each other once more since then, and Gellert had been the one who had kissed him. Yet, their kisses didn't seem to phase the blond, they only affected him and made his face blush crimson. It was almost frustrating. Almost.

Albus felt himself reaching for another dusty book, the candlelight soft, it was always considered night down here, in their little study where natural light never found it's way in. Gellert was on the other side of the room, focused heavily on the pages before him. His flame appeared to be red, casting a rather errie light and shadow upon his form. It didn't scare Albus though, what did was Gellert's silence.

The only words that Gellert had spoken all day had been when Albus first came over in the early morning hours, "In one of the books they mentioned that the Deathly Hallows have a sign that they, and any who believe in them, go by. We're going to find that today. No talking, no distractions. We have to find it today." Albus had wanted to ask him why they had to be found on this day and no other, but he didn't have the courage too. Gellert wasn't being himself.

So, now here they both were; tired and near exhagustion, having flipped through page after page and book after book. Nearly skimming through every tomb in this dark basement. His hands curling around one of the hard covers, Albus slipped the book out of it's place on the shelf and tranfered it to his hand, then letting his body sit upon the cold floor, he opened the cover and began to glance at the pages.

Each page supplied hundreds of small scripted words, but none supplied an image, just letters and words. Yet, he was not at the last page, so Albus continued to be diligent in his research. Finally, there it was, the image he was looking for, at least he believed it was, the print underneath the image stated it was the symbol for the Deathly Hallows. A large triangle, with a circle in the middle of it and a line going straight through the center of both.

So, this was what Gellert had been looking for. He began to read the description on the image. The triangle stood for the Invisibility Cloak, the circle was the Resurrection Stone, and the line was the Elder Wand. It made sense to Albus.

He had found what Gellert had wanted.

"Gellert! It's here in this book, that image that you wanted to find. Come here and take a look at it, there really isn't anything all that special about it." Albus's voice echoed off the walls slightly, since he spoke in a low shout, remembering one time when he had shouted and awoken Gellert's aunt...Gellert had been mad at Albus. He had glared at Albus, and he could never recall a time when Gellert had been so cross with him.

But tonight Gellert was going to be happy. At least, Albus hoped that he would be.

---

Albus had found it. Gellert could feel the excitement building within, could feel the adrenaline rushing through his blood as his body hurried over to Albus's side. Slipping down to sit next to Albus, Gellert glanced at the picture with wide eyes. Unlike Albus he found it to be extremely interesting looking. It was simple, Gellert rather liked simple things, maybe because he, himself, was complex, so complex things were rather tiring.

Even though Albus didn't care about the image, Gellert knew of a way in which to make Albus care, at least a little anyway. He would kiss him. The two times he had done so, Albus had blushed quite cutely and had gotten rather flustered, two signs that he liked it...two signs that his heart had been beating faster.

With a smirk on his face Gellert turned has head away from the book and turned toward Albus. The red head was occupying his time by petting that pet bird of his, quietly informing the bird of his discovery. Gellert's smirk grew. "Albus..." He spoke softly, something that was out of the ordinary for him, and gained the older boy's attention. Now, looking at him with innocent eyes, before Albus could even ask his question, Gellert drew himself close to him, and then gave him a peck on the lips. It wasn't a special kiss, wasn't sensual, and yet Albus still had a small tinge of pink upon his features.

The sight caused Gellert to full out grin and laugh slightly. Wrapping his arms around Albus, and placing his head upon his chest, Gellert knew he had his full attention. "I have something I want to tell you Albus." The words he spoke caused Albus to look downward at him. Biting his bottom lip slightly Gellert inched his head closer to Albus's own, his lips coming nearer to Albus's light colored skin, though his destination wasn't Albus's lips, but rather his ear. Upon reaching his said destination Gellert whispered, "Thank you." His breath tickled the skin and caused Albus to quickly shiver.

Albus's heart was racing again, he knew it. Albus was happy. Albus heart was going to stop after his next words, he knew that as well. But he had to say them.

---

"Albus, there's something else I have to tell you too." He was still in shock over Gellert's words, in the past two or so months he had known him, Gellert had never said thank you to anyway, not even himself. Yet, his shock wore off as he noted the tone of Gellert's voice. It seemed solemn. Albus never heard that tone from him before either, and even though it probably shouldn't, Albus found his voice to be beautiful right then.

With his head away from Gellert's and his blue orbs seeing nothing but the red and gold of his newly acquired pet Fawkes, Albus asked Gellert what it was that he had to tell him now. His heart was racing, so there was no way Albus could drag up the courage to actually look at Gellert. Long and pale fingers flittingly strayed over the bird's soft feathers. He had to be prepared for whatever it was that Gellert was about to tell him, since the younger boy was a complex being there was no telling what he was about to say. Gellert proved this point.

"I'm leaving. My mother wrote me a letter yesterday, she said that the school will allow me to return home. She sent the ticket with the letter, so I have to go, there is no way I could avoid it..." Gellert's voice died off.

Albus snapped his head around, now he was facing Gellert directly, "What do you mean by leaving? For good? Are you going to come back?" Albus could sense the fear in his own eyes. A life without Gellert, at one time his life had been like that, but it hadn't been anything worth remembering. Now he couldn't picture his life without Gellert being a vital part of it.

"You can't go!" He was determined to have Gellert understand that his leaving was impossible.

"I miss my parents, Albus. I want to see them."

"And you won't miss me?"

"I will."

"Then stay." Albus voice was close to silent as those words slipped from his lips. Yet, Gellert heard them plainly, for they were now mere inches apart. Through the whole exchange they had drawn closer. "Then stay." Albus repeated the words, this time they were stronger, and they were accompanied by a kiss.

For the first time Albus had been the one to start the kiss. Passion flowed through it as Albus tried to get his emotions across to Gellert, there was no way he could live without Gellert in his life. Albus's tongue fought and won dominance, exploring and divulging every inch of Gellert's mouth. The experience of such control was truly exhilarating and Gellert's pure compliance fueled Albus on. Thus, the kiss soon strayed.

His hot lips trailed over Gellert's extremely fair skin, memorizing the taste of it, as hands crawled underneath the thin layer of clothes that Gellert was wearing, the desire to feel and know everything about the younger boy overwhelming him. Yet, such dominance was short lived as Gellert captured Albus's lips in his own, his hands going a step further to undo the buttons on Albus's shirt, at which Albus quickly followed along with. Thus, now with no shirt on, Albus's chest was assaulted with kisses. Kisses that moved further downward with each placement upon his skin.

A small push was all it took for Albus to find himself pinned between the floor and Gellert. With an attack of his own nips and kisses, Albus and Gellert examined every part of each other. The song of the phoenix like a manifesto of the harsh and raw emotions dwelling within the two.

---

It was morning, though Albus and Gellert had no way of knowing such a thing. Both awakening curled up next to each other, the night's display still fresh in their minds and the emotions of it still felt by their bodies. Blurry eyes opened, both blue in general color, though one pair darker than the other. Auburn hair that was once neatly held together by a band now spread wildly about, and once neat blond curls were now tangled into one another. Neither cared though, as they dressed, flashes of the night before running through both their heads, yet no blush appeared upon Albus's face.

The shout of Gellert's aunt informed them that it was time for Gellert to leave. They glanced briefly at each other. "I have to leave now, Albus."

"I know. Did you pack already?"

"Yes."

"Oh." After the pitiful exclamation left his mouth Albus lowered his head and made his way toward Fawkes, who was perched atop the book shelves, and was sleeping, "Come on Fawkes, we have to go now." His face was emotionless and his voice flat.

As he began to walk in the direction of the basement stairs, Gellert's voice rang out, "Wait! Albus, wait. Come with me to the station." The sound of hard and fast footsteps informed Albus that Gellert was making his way towards him. Thus, he stopped and glanced backward, and there he was. His curls now fixed, most likely done by a simple spell, and his hand was holding out the hair band that Albus had used the previous day to pin back his long locks.

"Come with me." His eyes looked lighter than usual.

Albus snatched the band out of his hands.

---

Steam curled up and filled the sky, the sound of people crying good-byes or shouting returns filled the air, and the sight of Gellert with his bags and ticket in hand filled Albus's eyes. "Well, I guess, good-bye." His voice was so weak and could barely be heard amongst all the other noises, but Gellert had heard it nonetheless.

"You don't have to make it sound so formal Albus. Good-bye makes it seem like I'll never see you again. I'll be back in three days, so see you later would be more fitting, don't you think?" Gellert's eyes shown with amusement.

"What! Three days, you never said that! You just said that you were leaving...I thought I would never see you again!" Albus's eyes widened, his eyebrows crinkled in frustration, and his mouth was opened wide in protest. Yet, his anger soon dissipated as he noticed Gellert's expression.

A smirk was crawling up the blond's face and Albus's own face began to split into a grin, there was no way he could stay mad at Gellert, not at a time like this. There laughter mixed in with the sounds of the station. After their laughter abated they noticed how closely they were standing near each other, and their bodies began to react; hearts beating faster and breathes becoming shallow. They were in public though, there was nothing they could do.

"Quick, before the train leaves, let's take a picture together!" Gellert grabbed Albus's hand and lead him to a open space. The statement had broken the moment and ended the desire both had felt. And, as Albus watched Gellert rummage through his bag, his eyes couldn't help but hold a twinkle. Even though Gellert would be leaving, it wasn't going to be permanent, he would be back within three days, and he seemed so lively at the moment; Albus wouldn't let any melancholy emotions show through.

Motioning for the school official to come over, Gellert rushed over to Albus, "I've set the timer, so we have to be quick about this." Once the man was present, Gellert handed the camera over as he went to Albus's side and slid his arm over his shoulder an action that Albus copied. They both had smiles on their faces.

_Flash. Click._ The picture was taken.

---

In that moment happiness prevailed, in that moment one was already too far in love and the other was swiftly following in step, in that moment the photograph was new and shining.

But that moment was only a moment and it ended.

---

_A/N: This chapter changed quite a bit from what I had originally planned it to be, but I'm pleased with how it turned out. Hopefully you guys think the same. So, please tell me what you think of it in a review and take care. : )_

-LilyGinnyBlack-


	10. Chapter Nine

_A/N: Sorry about the long wait everyone, but I've just been so busy. I hope you all like this chapter, even though it is mostly a filler chapter. Anyway, here it is:_

_**Chapter Nine**_

His door had been shut for nearly the whole day, he came out to eat breakfast and lunch, but that was it. In the past Ariana would have found this behavior in her brother to be expected, but over these last two months he was nearly never home. Albus was always with Gellert. It amazed her how easily she had grown accustomed to hearing that phrase in her mind. Lately, whenever she asked herself where Albus was, her mind always answered with Gellert.

But, not today. He was in his room today, and it didn't seem as if Albus had any thought of leaving his room or the house. Such actions confused Ariana. She was used to having access to Albus's bedroom, he had so many neat books. She couldn't understand what was written in them most of the time, but the ones that had illustrations were always so entertaining and some of the books even seemed alive!

Instead she was stuck in the house and bored out of her mind. Aberforth seemed happy though, he didn't like Gellert. Ariana did. She didn't know why her older brother did not like Gellert, because of him Albus was behaving differently. He was gone from the house more, this was true, but when (though it was more like "if") Albus came home, he would always open the door and check on her. She knew, because every time she was awake, and sometimes, if the light of the moon was just right, she could see a smile on his face. She could never remember sight of Albus smiling so much, but then again, her memory was not a perfect one.

She wanted Gellert to come back.

Where had he gone to anyway?

Why wasn't he here?

She had only met him once, but her body had felt odd, she was unable to explain it. But she wanted him back, because then things would go back to normal again, or at least, what had grown to become normal. Change and her were not friends, her mind was starting to break into fragments. This was no good...

---

She was screaming, over and over again, he could have sworn that he heard her shout Gellert's name too, but he was doubting his sanity on that one. After all, the whole day all he could think of was Gellert. He thought he was stronger than this, but obviously he wasn't. Her shrieks and cries rattled his brains, muddled his mind, but his heart had no care for taking any action toward it, preferring that he stayed curled up upon the bed.

Over the past two months he would occasionally take care of Ariana, if he was home during one of her fits, but today she had already gone through three, practically in a row, which was highly uncommon, and Albus hadn't done a thing about any one of them. Aberforth had to deal with them, his voice loud and obnoxious as he berated Albus, but more importantly, Gellert. Cursing the boy for whom he **knew** Albus had fallen in love with, or at least, had become infatuated with. Through the course of the day, Albus could only find himself, for once, agreeing with his brother. The time and distance away from the blonde haired teen had made Albus come to terms that he felt strong emotions, that he was even perhaps, in love with Gellert.

He missed Gellert.

He wanted him back.

Without Gellert here his body and heart seemed to have given up, almost as if he was willing to die. Of course, he wouldn't, his mind would never allow himself to die in such a way. He was far too brilliant to be swayed by the brief moment of escape death would bring him, who knew what came after. So, he kept himself going by reminding himself that the time Gellert was away would only be limited and he would be back in about two days. The amount of time between them easily counted out on one hand, only two fingers, yet this amount of time had caused him to act like a child; playing with his food, slamming his door, and pouting his lips.

It was true that death kept floating across his eyes, but that was only due to boredom, there was nothing else he could do. No one else with whom he could talk to. This was the outlook of life he had been stuck with barely two months previous. School had been simple, most of what he learned he had taught himself from books he had read, and his classmates looked up to him as if he were a constellation, simply because he got straight O's on his OWLs. And, at home, the neighborhood consisted of only three children; Ariana, Aberforth, and himself. That was it. Aberforth and Ariana could not match his intellect and when they had been younger they never bothered to listen to him when he told them about something he read in a book.

But, with Gellert, he was the one who made stupid mistakes, he was the one who was told to do something, and he was the one who put the reliance upon someone else. He was the one giving the expectation this time. When he was with Gellert he felt free, just like Fawkes...

The bird in mention flew to be by Albus's side, the phoenix resting it's feet against the twisted fabric of Albus's light blanket. The summer heat starting to fade away with each passing day, the sun moving farther and farther away from the earth. Right now, Albus felt like the earth.

His body snuggled up to the blanket surrounding him, encasing him in a ball of heat, and causing his skin to cry. And, even though his skin was drenched in sweat, he stayed just like that. His eyelids heavy and weary with the desire for sleep, but his mind rebelling, "He'll be home soon..." It gave him hope. His equal. His infatuation. His lover. His master. The only one who could make him smile.

He would be home soon.

Albus's blue eyes were completely covered by his eyes lids, his sight was then stained black.

Gellert, he would be home soon.

---

Mudbloods, half bloods, filth, it was all that Gellert heard the moment he got home. It was being drilled into his brain all over again, and the real reason behind Albus and his research came back to him. It wasn't just a fantasy that Albus and himself had dreamt up over the past two months, it was a valid cause and the thought of such impure blood mixing into wizarding society unsettled his stomach.

Thus, the moment Gellert entered Drumstrang and heard the news of two mudbloods and three half bloods being allowed entrance into the school sickened him. With his goal in mind, the taunt of the Deathly Hallows corrupting his mind, and without the humanity of Albus to sway his actions-Gellert killed them. Just like he did to that mudblood boy a year ago, and to that pureblood who went against him. Yet, this time was different, before no one could know. Their deaths had to be kept secret, yet now, Gellert never planned to go back to Drumstrang. The school had failed him, and he was certain his parents felt the same way.

So, this time he left his mark. Using magic he painted his mark upon the walls, large and deep...and red.

He was going to return to Albus tomorrow, but Albus could never know. If he did, Gellert would never be forgiven.

---

Two days, that was how long Albus had stayed locked up in his room like a turtle lost within it's shell. And, when he did emerge, due to having to use the bathroom or fetch something small to eat, his eyes were dull and his hair was knotted. It looked as if he was walking death, yet Aberforth knew his brother to be better then that, even though his brother was different now then he had ever been, Albus would never let the loss of a friend lead him to suicide.

Albus was one who conquered death. He did not bow to it.

While Aberforth hated the boy, Gellert, and while he was not fond of his own brother, Albus, he was still that. A brother. He would always care for him, even if he didn't like the person Albus had been, was, or would become. And this care for his brother greatly outweighed his hate for the blonde. So, even if he never admitted it to Ariana or Albus, he wanted Gellert to come back. Then he would have a brother back, a love-sick brother, but a brother and not a near zombie, and he would be able to confront the both of them.

Finally figure out just what was going on.

---

His body jerked from side to side, arching this way and that on the primitive train. He had heard from Albus that the train to Hogwarts, the Hogwarts Express, moved quite smoothly in comparison to these muggle created ones. Just another example of muggle inadequacies.

Looking down at his hands he could still picture the blood upon his hands, for he had killed those filth in the muggle way, wanting to feel their death run through his own fingers. Such a rush had been brilliant at the time, and though now he did not fully _regret_ what he did, he was uncertain of how he could touch Albus with such hands.

The older red haired teen who saved the life of an unhatched bird and who helped a muggle child even though he detested the older ones. He was able to understand the innocence and the difference between when innocence and corruption went through it's transformation in muggles and wizards alike. Except when it came to himself. Albus could not see the corruption. When those sparkling blue eyes looked at him, they never seemed to dim or show disappointment, so it meant that he was blind. Just with him though, not with anyone else.

And Gellert had just betrayed that innocence he received from Albus. Had killed children. They had only been eleven, one of them only just, they still had innocence in them, not that corruption...But Gellert could not see that. He was unable to tell the difference. Thus, as the train began to slow down, nearly stopping, he promised to himself that he would no longer kill children.

The train came to a stop, Gellert made his way out of the contraption and into the pale light of the outside world. The sky was filled with whitish gray clouds, yet it was still early, so they had the possibility to disperse or become heavier with rain. Gellert hoped for the latter, he liked rain.

And, as he walked over to his great aunt, who was there to bring him back to her home. He did not realize that he would be forever conflicted over the promise he made to himself that day. Forever wondering if he kept to it.

---

_A/N: Well, that's the end of the chapter. Next up, the fight and Ariana's death. I hope you all look forward to it, and please tell me what you think of this chapter. Everyone, take care!_

-LilyGinnyBlack-


	11. Chapter Ten

_**Chapter Ten:**_

--

Gellert was back. Ariana could tell. Albus was smiling again. His body was racing out the door like a small child, Ariana had never seen such a sight as that before. Yet, she etched it into her mind, positive that she would never see such a sight again. Slowly following her eldest brother's footsteps, Ariana crept down the steps, moving over to the large window that, when viewed out of, showed the front yard. Her fingers curling around the boring, white curtains, and her eyes peeking around the fabric to get a glimpse to the event taking place outside.

Even though the sight hurt her chest, she couldn't help but smile.

Though their words were silent to her, and she lacked the ability to read lips, Ariana could tell that the reunion (though the wait was meager) was highly desired, and was going about in a very joyous way. Tears began to fall from her eyes, why, she did not know. Was she sad? Or was she happy? Or were the tears for something else? She didn't want to ponder over the answer, not for too long, anyway.

Not with the sun shinning down on them in such a way. Gellert's long, golden curls giving him the appearance of an angel, her brother...she never knew he could look so happy.

Albus and Gellert were nearing each other, her pupils were latched onto the image of Gellert's arms wrapped so gently around her brother's body. Her young mind noting the innocent state of Albus's face, the way his body curved into the embrace, as if wanting to be held forever. Their faces were so close to each others. Ariana could not rip her widened irises away.

Until she heard Aberforth's voice behind her, "So, the devil's returned, huh." His tone was harsh, cold and it cut right through her small body, making it so that her eyesight moved away from the two males to her older brother.

"He looks like an angel." Ariana wanted to defend the person who could make Albus appear so gentle, the person who could cradle her brother in a similar fashion to how her mother held her once upon a time.

"Maybe a fallen one." She knew that Aberforth was suggesting more than what was spoken, yet she did not know what, her knowledge of such things were very limited. Yet, she did understand that it wasn't good.

She hated the words that Aberforth used when he talked about Gellert, wishing that the three of them could get along. "But..." her protest was cut off.

"Just...get away from the window, please, Ariana." She acknowledged the fact that Aberforth's tone was soft again, more like the voice she was used to hearing, but she still did not want to leave. Something in her cried out against the move.

"Go, Ariana, up to your room. It's for the greater good."

Hum. Everything was for the greater good. Those words never left her mouth, but the contortion of her face made it clear for her brother.

"Not everything is for the greater good, Ariana." His hands slightly pushed her back, setting her off in the direction of the stairs. With one glance back at her brother, her feet still dragging her to the stairs, Ariana's last clear look of Aberforth Dumbledore was a face full of disgust and his last words that ever reached her ears were, "Ugh." Quite unpleasant.

Fresh, quiet tears streamed down the dried trails on her cheeks. At that moment, she doubted her wish would ever come true, no matter how much planning she did for it.

--

"You're back." Albus could hear the relief in his own voice. He was perceptive to the release of the squeezing pain he once felt in his chest during Gellert's time of absence.

"I'm back." The words, they were soft spoken and gentle, so unlike the Gellert that Albus had come to be infatuated with. Yet, the pull on his body, Gellert's arms snaking around his own, pulling him close and holding him tight. That was Gellert.

Albus's face being drawn ever closer to the fair haired boy was almost more than poor Albus's heart could take; the blood viciously pumping through his veins and his heart thumping so wildly in his chest. They were going to kiss.

He knew that Gellert did not care who saw, he did not care either. Yet, the sense of eyes that should not be watching them perform such an sinuous act was upon his back. A gaze that started off as simply a glance, but now felt as if it were drilling into him. Straight through his skin, through his bones and other organs, and straight to his heart. But, the moment Gellert's lips claimed his own, that stare was forgotten. The whole world was forgotten.

It was brief, not lasting nearly as long as Albus wished it to. His eyes still dark, wanting to capture Gellert's lips like he had done before the three days of separation. Gellert would not let him though. "Not now Albus, I have to tell you something important."

Letting a soft and defeated sigh breathe from between his lips, Albus inquired, "What is it, Gellert?"

"Our plan for the Greater Good can finally go into action, I already started spreading the word at home. So, come with me. You're done with school, I no longer belong at Drumstrang, we have the whole Wizarding World at our fingertips. Let's go, and make our world a better one." Albus was still in Gellert's embrace, these words whispered delicately in his ear. They were so tempting, Albus could not deny them, could not deny Gellert either.

"Alright." The boys detangled themselves from one another, Albus reached out and grasped Gellert's small hand. "Let's go tell Ariana and my brother. They need to know. Then I'll get packed and ready to go."

They began the short trek to Albus's house. "You know, I was thinking that we could bring Ariana with us. I find her to be interesting, the few times that I've talked to her. And I know that you don't want her to be influenced anymore by your brother. Imagine leaving her home with him for so many years, she will be exactly like him by the time you get back."

Albus was ready to go against all that Gellert said, and yet, he was not given the chance, " I know that, secretly, you are rather fond of her. I'm not blind. I can see how I resemble Ariana."

Gellert said not another word, since they were now at the front door. Aberforth was waiting inside for them. They shared one last, brief kiss, initiated by Gellert, before entering.

Inside, the grim reaper was waiting too.

--

"No way!" Aberforth eyes glowered at the two. "There is **no way** that you are taking Ariana anywhere. Albus, you know how fickle her magical powers are. Just say or do something wrong and you could have a whole disaster on your hands. Never mind the fact that..." Here Aberforth's voice trailed off.

"You don't like me, you believe that I'll corrupt Ariana in the same way, that you think, I've corrupted Albus. And, you don't think that Albus could handle taking care of Ariana." A smug smirk twisted it's way onto Gellert's lips, "I'm right, aren't I." It wasn't a question.

Aberforth found that he could not answer, he simply turned his head away, eyelids resting comfortably over the windows into his soul.

"I thought so. Ariana will be better off with us. At least Albus treats her like a human and not some kind of doll." Gellert's conceited words echoed through his mind, pricking his brain like sharp thorns.

"That's not true!"

"Yes, it is."

"Shut up you liar!"

"You just can't face the facts, see the truth, Ariana-"

"You nothing of her! Nothing of her, nothing of me, nothing of Albus, and nothing of this family!"

"Oh, but I believe I do."

"You don't! Now leave!"

"He's not leaving." Albus's calm tone stopped the two in their movements; both had their wands poised and were so close to each that they could easily stretch out their hands to strangle each other. Oh, how Aberforth longed to.

Yet, even with Albus between them, Aberforth could feel the heavy breathing in his chest, and, even though he had never felt it before, he could sense the bloodlust in his soul. How he hated the devil just beyond Albus, an angel in disguise that, or so it seemed, only he could see. Albus was completely blinded, Aberforth knew that he was in love, and Ariana thought him to be so beautiful. He saw the shine in her large eyes, the sparkle of a crush.

It disgusted him.

Nevertheless, as the seconds passed to minutes, Aberforth's bloodlust began to dilute and his anger was fading. Until she spoke. Her voice trailed over from the stairs.

"I want to go."

--

That was when Aberforth lost control, which caused Gellert to lose control. And it was in that moment, when Albus Dumbledore first acknowledged the love he had for his own sister. His mind losing control in the frenzy of the flying spells.

The yelling, the colors like a torn apart rainbow, and the cursing. Albus's eyes could no longer keep track of the movement, not only of the two men whom were special to him, though Aberforth simply because he had to be, but of the trails of the spells. All movement was one, meshed together in a horrid rush, or so it seemed to him. And then, he caught the sight of one of Aberforth's spells. It was clear to him through all the chaos, and the target was obvious to him too, Gellert. Who else?

Without thinking, words spilled from his lips, and his arms thrashed out wildly. At the same moment Gellert reacted, defending himself, and then the three spells met. A blinding light.

A blood curling scream.

--

She heard their yelling, it wasn't hard. After all, she hadn't gone up to her room, she had merely waited at the top of the stairs, out of sight. In the beginning, it was going just as she thought it would, Aberforth was refusing, not seeing any other side but his own. While Gellert antagonized and Albus, for the most part, stayed silent. Always observing and hardly ever taking action.

But, then it got worse. The tension was escalating to a level no of them had ever reached before. She could hear the disgust and taste the hate within the air, her stomach was beginning to feel sick. Was it so bad for her to leave the house? Couldn't she ever experience the world outside of the wooden door that kept her prisoner? Her mind saw no reasoning against, yet she knew that her warden would never be able to. Aberforth was going to keep her, lock and key, in this house for as long as he could. Maybe even until he died.

His devotion to her made her feel like some kind of parasite; not even human. It made her feel like a leech sucking the chance of any kind of life her older brother could have for himself. At least Albus treated her like a human being and not like a porcelain doll. With Albus she could easily keep her mind under control, his presence causing the pleasant memories of her past to arise in her mind. She could feel the laugh on the tip of her tongue as she tried to bake him a birthday cake or the crinkling of her brow as her fingers fumbled over woolen, her heart wanting so badly to create something for Albus.

So, was it so bad for her to be left in Albus's care? She knew that he loved her. It had just taken him longer to notice. And, she also knew that he had trouble showing his affection for her. But, it was there.

To be truthful she adored that kind of love more. She had to work at it in order to maintain it. Aberforth just gave it to her, whether she wanted it or not. Then there was Gellert. She desired to get closer to him, even though a part of her already acknowledged that Gellert was Albus's and Albus was Gellert's. She still wanted him.

Her angel.

Yet, the sounds resonating from below were not the stringed melodies of heaven, where an angel should be, but the screaming chorus of hell. What were they doing? Were they trying to kill each other?

Her heart quickened.

The sight that greeted her caused her heart to bleed. So much hate. So much noise. So much movement. Her eyes were welling up at the images passing before them, her mind slowly filling up on too many unexpected events. And thus, making its descent into insanity.

The yelling; those words they directed at her, so filthy. The screaming, her lungs had grown so sore as she could only hope for someone to her. Those sporadic steps, the way their feet stumbled forward and their hands latched onto her.

Without realizing it, Ariana had fumbled her down the steps of the stairs, and with her hands placed on top her head, her clumsy footwork brought her into the center of the dispute. Tears blurring her vision and a pounding flash of mixed up memories played in her mind, as she watched the spell speed at her. It's color lost on her.

Her body let out a scream.

Aberforth and Gellert were still so wrapped up in their hate for each other that they were unable to catch her sight in time. To her, as the seconds before her death ticked down, both Aberforth and Gellert were like to statues with frozen glares of hatred on their faces. Yet, as she welcomed the light speeding towards her, ironically the color of white, Albus's widened blue eyes met her own. They were desperate. They were worried. They were pained. They were filled with regret, with love. She smiled, though she doubted Albus had seen it, if his grief stricken shout of her name had been any indication.

As her eyelids softly fell over her eyes, drawing the black curtain closed. Ariana knew that Albus had not been the one to kill her. Even if it had been his spell that had hit her, even then, he was not the one who had caused her death.

What had it been that Aberforth had mentioned...about a fallen angel?

--

_A/N: I'm-so-sorry! m(- -)m Life got really busy, really fast and then, on top of my life being hetic, I got hit with laziness. Which, I believe, is just as bad as writers block, if not worse, because I knew what I wanted to write and how I wanted to write...but I just didn't want to write it._

_But, then I was inspired again, by two things in fact. One, I had free time on my hands again, my brain wasn't so...blah, for a lack of a better word, and I also wasn't as lazy because I more time on my hands. The second reason though, was because I realized there were people in another language that liked what I was writing and wanted to read more of it. So, I will finish this! And, I will finish it soon, I have the last few chapter all ready planned out in my head._

_Expect updates. : P_

_Also, this chapter is dedicated to Allisea who has done a beautiful job of translating chapters of this fanfic into French. I appreciate all the hard work and I want to let all of my reviewers know that I appreciate all of their words, whether long or short, nice or mean. They mean a lot to me, and help my writing. Finally, I want to thank my French reviewers too! Thank you. -_

_I hope you all enjoyed the chapter and please tell me what you think of it in a review. Take care. : )_

-LilyGinnyBlack-


	12. Chapter Eleven

_**Chapter Eleven:**_

_A/N: Hey everyone! Sorry about the long wait before another update. m(- -)m I got extremely busy with things concerning college and stuff, and then I got into the anime _Shugo Chara_, which distracted me for a little bit. And, in the end, I wanted this chapter to turn out good, so I was a little hesitant to start it until I knew for a fact what I wanted to have written. Enough with the excuses though, here's the next chapter. : D Enjoy!_

--

The rain had been pounding down, again and again the droplets fell onto the roof, again and again the thunder rumbled and the lightning struck. Again and again the lightning struck down upon the earth. One bolt hit into a tree, it sparked and burst into flames, others merely lit the sky, the grey turning to white. For days it had been like this. Ariana's dead body had just lain there on the floor, rotting away, the horrid stench infiltrated every inch of the old house. For, neither brother could work up the strength to move her. Their limbs still locked in shock; their eyes still glazed over and dull, drained of all emotion.

Had Albus eaten? Had he moved from the curled up position on the floor, right there, next to her body, with his arms curled around her dead flesh? Had he even the strength to wipe the stream of tears that had fallen continuously, mirroring the flood like rains that heaven was weeping for a death that should never have been?

No answers were ever found for these questions. Not even the great historian Bathilda Bagshot had any facts. Sure she had her theories, ones formed by that exact sight she came upon, when she visited the Dumbledore household, only just realizing the absence of her nephew and going to the only place she knew he could be.

Her eyes widened by the lack of blood, but omnipresent sense of death. A young girl sprawled across the floor, her face calm, any emotion that had once belonged to it, now long since gone. A man with nearly unblinking eyes, cradled by large bruises under the skin, caused simply by a lack of sleep, stuck to the floor. Those haunting blue eyes stained bloodshot, the skin around his eyes swollen by uncontrollably falling tears. And another young man, with anger and regret, hatred and sympathy, longing and pain, cast over his features, as he tries to get a word out to the man, as he tries to feed the unresponsive dead corpse.

The unspeakable sight invoked a scream of terror from the older woman. An old friend of the family, who never would have imagined the disgusting sight she found upon creaking open the old, somewhat squeaky, door. Her blood curling scream echoed ominously through the small town of Godric's Hollow; alerting the entire wizarding population there, to that strange house that many avoided because of the bad luck that seemed to emanate from it. And, yet, here each family came, slowly at first. Their curiosity peaked, and then they came more and more, as the whispers and shouts began.

And, that was how the small town of Godric's Hollow found out about Ariana Dumbledore's death.

--

His body was drenched and his bones were shaking, even his blood seemed to have become ice. Yet, what could be expected? He had been standing out in the rain for days, ever since **that** incident. That moment when he was positive that he had broken the promise that he had made to himself. The promise that he had made to himself for Albus, and it was because of that that he now wondered the back alleys of London, letting the rain soak him as much as it wanted. Letting the droplets of water mix with his own salty tears, as if hiding the terrible thing he was certain he did.

Blinded by the liquid in his eyes, Gellert stumbled along the streets, trying to figure out where he was. Wanting to get as far away as he could, to a place so far away he could harden his heart from the excruciating pain it was feeling. He wanted to rid himself of this overwhelming guilt. And that's when he noticed it, with a wipe of his soak sleeves against his eyes, clearing their view; he was able to spot a location that he knew. King's Cross Station.

With the little strength that he had left, for the hunger in his stomach was eating away at him, and even though water was all around him, his tongue longed to no longer be perched. Digging in his pockets for any money he may have had left on him, Gellert purchased a ticket, the people all staring at him. But he didn't care. As he climbed onto the train, he couldn't feel it, the warmth he was sure was created by the other passengers on the train. As he sat down in his seat, waiting to leave the sight of London forever, never to return; Gellert's heart finally froze over.

He didn't care about anything or anyone anymore. That's what he told himself, anyway.

--

The day Ariana Dumbledore was buried the rain stopped. Yet, the sky was still darkly overcast and the breeze was cold, even though it was still summer. The end of summer drew closer with each passing hour, and the breeze was just another reminded of the ever closer autumn.

Assembled there were so many people, people neither brother had ever seen in their lives. People they were sure that were merely there because of the controversy of her death. Yet, Hogwarts students were gathered there too, ones that Albus was supposed to be friends with, but hadn't contacted at all that summer; old friends of the family who, after their father was sentenced to Azkaban (and who was now surely crazy) and after their mother's death, had never bothered to pay the home a visit. And then, everyone else, all those people who came simply because tomorrow they could say that they had gone to the funeral of Ariana Dumbledore. The girl who no one knew existed and whose death no one had an answer for.

To all of them, her death, her being, was just another mystery. It made Albus sick.

Her body was so heavy in his arms, though it shouldn't have been, he had carried her so many times before, and at those times her body was so light. Nevertheless, her body was covered by a sheet; it was neither beautiful nor elaborate for an unknown girl. He could feel the stare of Aberforth upon his back. The anger and resentment that Albus was the one who got to carry her body to the platform her body was to be lain upon. Yet, the only reason for that was because Albus had been unable to let go of her corpse. His arms just wouldn't let go of her, even when her skin became too cold to the touch and the smell of death consumed his sense of smell.

The guilt wouldn't let him untangle his arms from her.

When her body was rested on the platform, a man said a few words, just like at every other wizarding funeral, and just like every other wizarding funeral, her body was consumed in a small flame (due to her small size). And, before his eyes, Ariana's body was contained in a little and well built coffin.

She was gone.

--

Nearly everyone was gone now; one by one they left the area because in reality, they all had busy lives and more important things to do-more important places to be. Aberforth felt sickened by the lack of care people could have in the world. A young girl had just died, but no one cared. And hardly anyone had spared a tear during the whole event, instead they all sat there with grim or neutral faces, but some (and this stir his stomach at the mere thought alone) even seemed to be putting every detail to memory, holding kind of gleam in their eyes. Society was disgusting.

The only other one who truly cared, beside himself, was Ms. Bagshot, even though it had been her nephew that he knew (_just knew_) had killed Ariana, this woman had done nothing wrong. She was the only one of his parent's old friends who had still checked up on them, the only guest at the funeral who had shed a true tear. She was the only left now, beside himself and Albus.

Albus who had put on quite the act for days, pretending to be the perfect oldest brother, by making it look like he actually cared for his little sister; Ariana, the little sister who he had always ignored, the one who he had seemed too busy to pay attention to, the little sister who he most certainly wouldn't shed a true tear for. And yet, here he had put on the perfect act; looking like a zombie carrying her body like that, his face sunken and his eyes swollen. That was truly the sickest thing he had seen all day.

And that sickening feeling was evolving into pure rage, the desire to punch his brother, who just sat there, in front of her coffin with his eyes dull and "sad". Unable to control it, Aberforth felt his feet carry him over to Albus's direction. His fingers curling in toward his palm all the while, while his face contorted, words that he hadn't been planning on saying spilling from his lips, "You bastard! How could you put on such an act? How could you act like you suddenly cared? That you were actually affected by Ariana's death! That you actually loved her like a brother should love a sister! I hate you! It's all your fault…You killed Ariana! You killed her! You!" And his fist came into contact with Albus's shocked face. He could feel the impact of his own punch, could feel the sound of Albus's nose bones cracking and breaking. Felt the drop of a salty tear on his hand, not knowing if it was his own or one of Albus's, falling from his eyes due to the ungodly pain of a broken nose.

And yet, after it was all over, after Albus had crumpled to the ground, not moving, not making a sound, Aberforth still didn't have that feeling of satisfaction. He wanted to hurt his older brother even more, reflect the pain that Ariana had shared with him at times. When she had come running to him in tears, whispering how she wished Albus had cared. But he was stopped from doing any further damage by Ms. Bagshot, the only one to have witnessed the event. The only one who would know of the event until nearly a hundred years later.

That was the last time Aberforth ever talked to Albus.

--

_A/N: This chapter came out rather morbid, though I quite like it that way. This is largely due to the fact that I just finished watching the anime _Mononoke_, which was somewhat horror. Though I think it had more of a creepy aspect rather than a terror one. Anyway, I hope you all liked it and please tell me what you think of it in a review. Only one more chapter to go until the "epic" battle between Albus and Gellert. : )_

-LilyGinnyBlack-


	13. Chapter Twelve

_**Chapter Twelve**_

()

It never seemed to stop raining. Where ever he went, the storms stalked his presence. The heavens deciding to cry down on him continuously, so as if he could never forget the people he had killed for his twisted sense of "For the Greater Good", all the men's war cries and all the women's pleas. They resounded within his skull, pounding like a person buried alive, hitting their fists against the hard wood until the lack of air causes them to suffocate to death, and their hands finally fall down dead. And he could understand, he could relate. A person contained within a coffin, awaiting the inevitable meeting with the grim reaper.

But unlike those innocent people who have the horrors put upon them, he had done it to himself. He had dug the hole, he had placed himself within the coffin, he had slid the heavy lid over his still live body and he had allowed another to lower him into the earth, and to pile the dirt on top. Pile so much dirt on top that he could never possibly imagine crawling his way out.

Yes, he had seemingly cut out his own heart over the years. Killing and killing to the point where he forgot what the sharp stab of pain and despair felt like. Yet, unconsciously in the back of his mind, when he would spot an innocent child, now left orphaned, standing wide eyed in between their dead parents, or perhaps cowering behind a couch in the room, a flash of auburn hair and twinkling blues eyes would flash in his mind…And the child would live. Children always lived. Babies always lived. He could never work up the nerve to kill them.

How many years had it been since he had made that oath to himself? How many years since he had last seen Albus? How different would Albus look to him now? A middle aged man, would he still want to control every inch of the other man? Would he still want to see that innocence and pure heart after having stained his hands black because of all the blood he had spilled? And…how would Albus look at _him_? Would his eyes be cold? Would they be hurt? Would they be hateful?

There was no way that he could still look at him with love and care. But maybe, just maybe, his eyes would be just as confused as Gellert was certain his were. With each passing day he was losing track of the reason for his massacre. For, with every child and baby he kept alive, it seemed the more he killed those men and women; those who truly had not done anything wrong.

Sitting there amongst the sick people who called themselves his followers, his eyes began to search for a way out, an escape. Didn't they see the crazed look in his eyes? Didn't they sense the insanity that he was sure was simply oozing off his skin like some kind of deadly poison? None of them would understand though. They didn't have anyone but him, and they didn't know anything but murder and torture. With each passing slaughter their voices would raise in question, wondering why they couldn't rip the limbs from a small baby's limbs or perhaps make a small girl cry out in pain as they took away her innocence. And every time they started their spiels Gellert would look upward, away from all their darkened expressions and call out.

In his head he would call out for Albus "Please save me!" He would beg. And then his mind would call out, "Where are you?"

What was taking him so long? Why was his angel taking so long to save him?

()

"Albus, please!"

"Why won't you do something to stop him?"

"Hey, have you heard about Grindelwald?"

"Shh! We aren't supposed to talk about such things during school! You know how the teachers are about that."

"I've heard that the only one powerful enough to stop him is Albus Dumbledore."

"You mean that nice, young man that's the current Transfigurations teacher at Hogwarts?"

"There was another bloody slaughter last night. Even though it's far away, I fear for my kids."

"Mama, I'm scared!"

No matter where he went, no matter how many years passed it seemed that Albus was unable to escape the presence of Gellert. The few months after her funeral, the only thing he noticed when he glanced in the mirror was his broken nose and healing wounds. As he researched the uses of dragon's blood, all he could imagine was Gellert and himself locked up in the basement of Bathilda Bagshot flipping through the pages of ancient book after ancient book. When he became Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, when he gained award after award for his good help towards muggles, muggle-borns, half-bloods, and half-humans such as giants and werewolves, all he could do was put a fake smile on his face while his insides squirmed with guilt. What a hypocrite being the thought that usually floated through his mind.

The moment they offered him the position of minister, he remembered that feeling of superiority from his teenage years, that sense of being better and knowing what was for the whole Wizarding World's "Greater Good". And every time the people would ask, every time the media would question, and every time the minister himself would remind Albus of how willingly he would give up the position-Albus would remember his sister. He would remember her small, fragile frame and kind, smiling face, and he would always reply, "I'm quite content here, as a Transfiguration teacher. Filling these young minds with knowledge is far more appealing to me then government and politics."

It was all so tiring. He wasn't even Headmaster and the Wizarding world was still asking so much from him all the time. It was all too much. And now…now they all wanted him to stop Gellert. No, it was more like they all wanted _Albus Dumbledore_ to defeat _Grindelwald_, not Gellert. Did anyone even know that Gellert was Grindelwald's first name? Albus highly doubted it, but he could never escape him. No matter how hard he tried.

A lovely bird cry drifted into his ears, yes, Gellert was with him all the time. In his office the blonde haired boy was the (at the moment) distressed red and gold bird, a Phoenix at the prime of its life. And in his sleeping quarters Gellert was the smiling boy with a mischievous glint in his eyes, arm wrapped so gently around a much younger Albus in a fading photo. In the classroom, through the hallways, on the streets of Diagon Alley or Hogsmeade or even the whispers from those few times he had worked up the courage to visit Godric's Hollow, they all talked about him. About the boy…ah, no, he would be a man now. They all talked about the man that he loved…

…And how he, Albus Dumbledore, had to kill the **murderer** once and for all.

They were all getting impatient.

Was even Gellert getting impatient with him too?

Albus knew what he had to do, but he was too afraid, unable to face the own demons he created. But, as his hands latched onto the faded photo that he kept on the small desk by his bedside, not contained within a frame and glass, because he wanted it to age just like him, as he looked at it and examined everything about it, he knew. He would have to kill him. Or, at the least, he would have to confront Gellert.

The boy who had unintentionally saved him and destroyed him at the same time; Albus just hoped he wasn't too late to save Gellert in return.

()

_A/N: I decided to skip an Author's Note at the beginning and just dive right into it, because I've certainly made you guys wait long enough, haven't I? Well, nothing more that I can say besides the fact that I was incredibily busy, and then I kinda wasn't in the HP mood. So, I'm sorry. m(- -)m But, I updated it and I quite like it, so please tell me what you think of it in a review. Next up, the battle between Albus and Gellert! Take care everyone. : )_

-LilyGinnyBlack-


	14. Chapter Thirteen

_**Chapter Thirteen**_

()

No one was there, just like they had both planned. Some deserted location, a place that Albus was only vaguely aware of. But he had left the decision of where up Gellert; it had been a move that had caused public outrage at first, "What is that Dumbledore thinking?" "Is he crazy or something?" "Who would allow a murderer to decide on where his downfall is going to be?"

That had been another factor that everyone else just could not fathom, they had both agreed to this meeting, to this obvious battle. But why? No one knew that Albus just wanted it all to be over with or that Gellert was sick of who he was and was tired of living. No, the general public was blind to these things, but _they_ both knew-and that was all that mattered.

A barrier had been set up by Albus, no journalists, no reporters, no nosey people; this battle would be between the two of them. And a battle Albus already knew it wasn't going to be. Flashes of light, shouts and screams, all fabrications to appease the disgusting desire humans had to know that "justice" was being served. This encounter was going to be a fight, but a purely mental one, a vicious clash of words and not wands.

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Did you kill her?"

The fake sounds of curses being flung and an explosion of colors stalled Gellert from answering.

"I don't know."

"How can you not know?"

"Did I really kill her, or-"

"You killed her!"

A blaring sound reverberated around the two young men, contained safely within a spell.

"How do you that it wasn't y-"

"You killed her!"

"Albus!"

"You killed her, and now…"

Albus body gave out; the weight he was carrying for so long could no longer be held up by his weak mind set. Seeing the person he loves right there in front of him, a person that he was supposed to hate and despise, a person that he was supposed to kill. But, how could he do such a thing…not to Gellert…

Not to Gellert…when it came to him Albus found that he was just too weak.

The sound of heavy footsteps resounded in the silence, and a pair of ice cold arms wrapped around his frame. Was Gellert always so cold like this? He couldn't remember. What a saddening thought. Not remembering that is. The coolness of his skin was relieving, how easily he could lose himself to that icy embrace. To simply entangle his limbs around that broken body and kiss it until all the wounds were healed. That wasn't his purpose though, not now.

"You killed her, and now…now you just keep killing."

Hot liquid was seeping from his eyes, as his fingers clutched to the finely made robe.

"I don't know. Not anymore, I can't remember. Were you always this warm, Albus?"

Arms holding him so tight, and a voice so soft if it were to be any louder any composure would surely be forgotten.

"I don't know. I can't remember either."

"I wonder if we know anything at all."

"I do."

"You do?"

"Yes."

"What is it?"

Gellert was drawing Albus's body so close to his own, running his numb fingers over the smooth skin and bringing his lips to trail over the exposed flesh near Albus's neck. Nipping only slightly as he worked his way up, turning those little pinches of pain into touches of pleasure upon reaching Albus's face.; attacking each spot with a kiss, and dragging his lips over to the older man's ear.

"I know…that I want you to save me."

"Save you? How?"

"Kill me."

"I can't."

"But, it's-"

"Don't say!"

"It's for the-"

"It's disgusting!"

"Then what do you suggest?"

"I'll lock you up forever and let you rot away."

"And that's better than killing me?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because of what it's for."

"Isn't it for the Greater Good?"

"No."

"Then what is it for?"

Albus finally looked at Gellert, their eyes meeting after avoiding each other for so long, and noted the lack of life in the younger man's pupils. That omnipresent glint was no longer there, seeming to have vanished years ago. And so, Albus untangled himself and stood sturdy upon the barren ground; while he examined the shattered human being graveling beneath him.

"It's not _what_ it is for, it's _who_."

"Then who?"

"You."

And for the first time-

Albus saw Gellert cry.

()

_A/N: Hey everybody! I've been uber busy with college, but I found the time this weekend to not only write up this chapter, but the next chapter and epilogue as well. So, expect a triple update, 'cause that's what you're getting. Anyway, I tried a slightly different style with these last three, and I hope that you like it. If not, oh well, tell me what you think of them in a review nonetheless. : )_

-Lily-


	15. Chapter Fourteen

_**Chapter Fourteen**_

()

How much time has passed? It must have been a lot, no one even remembers Gellert. They just speak about him like they do any other historical event. The anger and the resentment are gone, and only the distant horror that someone could do something like that remains. It settled Albus to know this. But, something-no more like someone-was unsettling him again.

He's a student who goes by the name of Tom Riddles. He has that same glint in his eyes that Gellert used to have and the same bored expression that Albus could remember wearing in his younger years. A smirk of destruction on his features and a tragic history, every time Albus sees him the whisper of "For the Greater Good", enters his mind. No one who resembles the way the two men had once been could ever bring about something for the Greater Good, he learned that over the hard years-learned it the day his sister died.

And now, as he finishes up his Transfiguration lesson, a word catches his ears, "Voldemort." Not a single student in the school had such a ridiculous name, yet Tom responds to it like nothing the word is nothing new. That unsettling feeling just continues to grow…

()

He had known, back then, that something had been wrong about Tom. He had known just like he knew with Gellert, but he ignored it, the resemblance Tom had to Gellert (not in appearance) was just too astounding and overwhelming. He could have done something to stop the young boy, he had recognized the path he was headed down, yet Albus did nothing. As usual. People were dead now. As usual.

He didn't want the same vicious cycle to happen over and over again, but how could he stop it? Sure, there were the words of that spoken prophecy, but was there really someone out there who was above the temptations that people like Gellert and Tom offered? Was there someone out there who could be the person he never could.

And just then, as Albus sat in his chair, isolated from the rest of the world in his headmaster's office, word came. "The Potters were dead. But there infant son had just defeated He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named."

Was it really that simple?

Of course not.

But, maybe, Harry Potter could be that someone he never could be…

()

"What do you see when you look in the mirror?"

It's a very simple question, but Albus had could not answer it, not truthfully anyway. He could never answer it truthfully. By now everyone had forgotten about his tragic past, it was buried and lost, just another dusty book in Bathlida Bagshots cellar. So, there was no reason to bring it up now.

I see-_I see_-myself­-_myself­_-holding a pair of woolen socks-_being held by Gellert, with Ariana beside me and Aberforth holding her hand, and mother and father smiling as they stand behind us._ That's it. A pair of socks. At least they were woolen.

That way, he wasn't completely lying.

Right…

()

Why is it that no one likes Lemon Drops? Aren't they sweet? Aren't they tangy?

For the life of him, Albus could never figure this mystery out, until he came to the realization that he didn't like the taste of them at all. But the first time he had one was on that day, when he and Gellert had traveled into the muggle community of Godric's Hollow. It had been on that same day when he had helped that little muggle child.

So…that was why he liked them so much…

()

He hated them. Dementors. He hated what they made him think about, what they made him see and hear, what they made him relive over and over again. At least he couldn't feel it-that pain. But, he hated them nevertheless.

So, why were they here?

To protect that person who would grow to become the type of person he never could be. That's why.

()

Disbelief, he could recall this emotion when he had taken the invisibility cloak from James Potter's hands. Albus had just held it, the soft fabric slipping through his fingertips; he had wanted to keep it all to himself.

But then James had spoken words that Albus would be forever grateful for, "If…If me and Lily don't make…When you think he's ready…will you give it to Harry for me? It's been passed down for generations in my family, and I really…I really want him to have it. But, if I can't give it to him…Then I want you to….Please."

Albus had complied without a second thought; the mere idea of him being in possession of a Deathly Hallow was an extremely stupid and dangerous one. He planned on giving it to Harry the moment he entered the school, for Christmas.

And he did.

Now though, now his hands were holding yet another Deathly Hallow, one even more desirous to him then the invisibility cloak, he no longer had the want to disappear, but the power to bring back the dead. Even if it wasn't really them, even if they were like shadows, nothing more than paintings without their frames…He wanted that more than anything.

He longed for it. To speak to them all again. Make everything all right.

The ring was on his fragile finger. When had he done it? When had he slipped it on?

Oh well, it was already too late. He could feel the life draining out of him already…So it was a curse after all…this desire of his.

()

She was dead. She was dead. The twinges of pain, they were everywhere. The tears were ready to fall anew and his voice just kept screaming. Over and over again.

Had he died?

Was he in Hell?

If he wasn't, could he just die now?

It was all that he wanted. That's why, soon…

"Profess…Professor…Dumbledore!"

Harry.

Albus knew his time was nearly up. But he was ready to go. He had everything he needed; the photograph was on him, like it always was. It was a remembrance of a time that they could never go back to. But… Gellert was going to be joining him soon, so Albus was going to be there-waiting for him. He wasn't sure where it was that he was going to be waiting for Gellert. Maybe it was going to be in Hades or maybe it was going to be in Hell? One thing he was sure of though, neither one of them would be glancing at the gates of Heaven.

He was okay with that.


	16. Epilogue

_**Epilogue**_

()

"Do you know how long I've been waiting here?"

"No."

"Years."

"Really!?"

"No, maybe a few months."

"When did you become so snarky?"

"I think…when I became headmaster."

"Headmaster of what?"

"Hogwarts, of course."

"Oh…"

"So…do you know where we are?"

"Your aunt's basement?"

"Oh, good, so I wasn't just seeing things."

"Do you know why?"

"Not a clue. I thought we'd end up in Hell for sure."

"What? I was positive I would. It was all that raced through my mind when I was imprisoned, but…I never thought that you would Albus."

"How could say that, I'm a hor-"

"You're not a horrible person! I am. You aren't like me, you never were. Look, just forget it, okay."

"…"

"…Albus…"

"Yeah?"

"Hold me."

"Ah! Hold on Gellert. I promise I'll be right back…I just have something I have to do first. But, when I get back, I'm going to hold you and never let go. We are dead after all."

"So you can hold me for eternity."

"Yeah."

()

Upon returning Albus realized something, there was Gellert, curled up in the same corner of the cellar where Albus had left him. His arms were wrapped around his legs and his eyes were downcast, he looked lost in thought. But, this was not the extreme revelation that Albus had come to. No, it was the fact Gellert looked just like he did _back then_; young and beautiful, intimidating and yet so fragile, like a fallen angel. Hadn't that been what Aberforth had always referred to him as?

He could see how that description fit his lover so perfectly, now anyway.

Albus began to walk over to him. "Do you know how long I've been waiting here?"

"No."

"Hours."

"Really!?"

"No, maybe a few minutes."

"I just got déjà vu."

"Me too. So…about you holding me…"

"I was just about to do that."

"Good."

And so, as Albus approached him, Gellert moved away from the wall slightly while Albus slipped behind him. Then he enveloped Gellert into an embrace, which the younger boy snuggled into; turning around so he could rest his head on Albus's chest.

"You know, when I was locked away in that tower it was so quiet. The silence was driving me crazy and sometimes I could swear that I heard your voice in my head, telling me that it was all going to be okay. You were telling me that I could redeem myself and make a clean slate of all the disgusting things that I did. I knew you weren't real, but I believed what you said." Here Gellert stopped speaking, as his body began to inch its way up Albus's.

He continued speaking, "That's why, when that Voldemort fellow came to me asking about the Elder Wand…I didn't tell him a single thing. He was just like me-"

"No, he was worst. Far worst then you ever could be. He killed everyone and everything, it didn't matter to him. No one was human and they were all just things to help him gain immortality."

"Ah, I see. So, I'm glad that I didn't help him at all. Because, you know, when I first saw him…I felt empathy, but then I heard your voice in my head telling me that that feeling was wrong. That I shouldn't have it, not for him, so I didn't. I'm so glad."

Gellert ended his little speech by placing a kiss upon Albus's lips. It wasn't filled with passion or lust like when they were younger, or even like the kiss they had shared during their "battle" but it was a gentle reminder of their love; they would be able to show that love to each other again and again for eternity.

"I'm glad too."

"Guess what, Albus."

"What?"

"Not only will you be able to hold me forever, but I can kiss you forever too."

"That's…nice."

"Nice! That's all you have to say for it?"

"Well, I can't really think of anything else. It's too much of a wonderful feeling, I can't describe it."

"Oh…I understand. And guess what else, Albus."

"What?"

"This is-"

"Not for the Greater Good, is it?"

"No!"

"Then for-"

"For us."

"For us?"

"Yeah, for us, and nobody else."

Gellert kissed Albus once again, while Albus pulled Gellert closer to him into an embrace that he had no plans of ending anytime soon. They had eternity after all.

()

_A/N: The end! It's finished! It took me a long time to write this fic, but I'm happy with how it turned out in the end, and I'm so grateful for every reviewer, favoritor (yes, I know this is not a word xD), and reader out there. So, thank you all so very much! : D This epilogue is dedicated to my roommate, who was so awesome that she read this fanfic before we even met! Wicked no? Anyway, please tell me what you think of it in a review and (like usual) take care, all of you. : )_

-Lily-


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